Before (Newt X Reader)
by N7-SpaceHamsters
Summary: You hopelessly trying to survive the Glade. As the first girl, you go through hell and back without any idea who you are. Things you don't understand have been forced upon you without any explanation. Your past comes to light, and you remember everything even things you weren't supposed to. In the end, you will be tested. Will WICKED break you too?
1. The Box

**This is a Newt x reader story. Where you are the main character. (Y/N) Means insert your name. Let me know what you think** in **the reviews but otherwise please enjoy the story.**

 **I'm so sorry for the weird formatting problem that's come up with this story. I'm going to go through and fix it. Thank you so much for letting me know** otherwise **it would have gone completely unnoticed. Thanks again so so much.**

I don't remember anything except that I was suddenly there, in the dark. Wherever I was, it was moving fast. I tried to get to my feet but failed. I was terrified, almost unable to move; but I found the strength to move my hands around and found that there were boxes along with other things I couldn't quite make out. The floor had holes in it, almost like I was sitting in a crate. I linked my fingers through some of the holes and pulled my knees up to my chest, burying my head in my lap. I felt like I had been in the confined space for forever. The box started going up faster and faster until all of a sudden it came to a sharp stop. I lost my grip on the floor and was thrown forward. The space was then flooded with light, a loud mechanical noise started as the light grew. I got back to my knees and shielded my eyes from the brightness. Voices were all around me, many people were talking over each other. Soon the bright light became close to bearable, and the faint outlines of people became clear. By now, there was almost no darkness in the box. I looked up through the top of what appeared to be a square box made of metal. Directly in the center of this box was me, sitting on my knees still shielding my eyes. There were now clear words of confusion. I tried to single in on a conversation but was unable to, when all of a sudden the floor beneath me shook. I sprung to my feet and backed up to the wall. There in front of me stood a much taller, much bigger dark skinned boy. He intimidated me that was for certain, but I didn't back down - or tried not to. He looked as confused as I was. I nervously looked around and saw a shared looked of confusion on all faces. He cleared his throat and I looked back at him.

"Welcome to the Glade Greenie, best get you outa' here." With that, he turned away and grabbed one of the wooden crates, handed it up to the people above. They then lowered a rope with a looped end. He stepped in the loop and was pulled up. The rope was lowered back down for me, and I hesitantly took the rope while stepping into the loop as the boy did. I was pulled to the top of the box and climbed out. Someone's hand wrapped around my arm to help me up. I quickly pulled my arm free and backed away from the boy who had been down in the box with me. I bumped into someone behind me as I moved away and spun around to see another boy, taller than the first and very skinny with sandy blond hair. He gave me a small smile then looked back to the box. I turned around to the first boy,

"Follow me." He ordered. I looked around at the sea of faces. There were many things being said, but finally, someone shouted something that I understood.

"She hot?!"

Yeah and I call dibs!" Was what they said, and I heard a large wave of laughter that was followed by a sharp, "Get back to work you shanks!" I quickly followed the dark skinned boy and watched as the others moved out of his way to make a path without hesitation. When we passed the group, what I saw next was an endless field of grass and a few buildings scattered around the enclosed area. What really struck me were the walls. Huge gray stone walls stretched up far into the sky and wrapped all around where I stood. As I turned in a circle, I counted that there were four openings. I stopped dead in my tracks and the boy stopped, walking back towards me.

"W-where am I?" I stuttered. The boy crossed his arms over his chest and looked around.

"She speaks!" He announced to no one in particular. When I said nothing, he continued. "You're in the Glade like I already told you. You don't know why you're here, none of us do. It's going to take awhile for everything here to start making sense to you, these next couple of days are probably going to be hell for you while things are explained. But you need to come with me, something's different about you." He started off again and I jogged to catch up to him.

"Why am I different?" He looked down at me, brows raised.

"You haven't noticed?" I shook my head. Too many kids have come up out of the box like you did today, only thing is that you're the only girl." I kept walking with him, I guess the thought hadn't crossed my mind. I looked over my shoulder and watched as the group of boys all spread off in their own ways. And I did truly see it was only boys. Worry struck me as I looked back to the boy and realized he couldn't be any older than 20 at oldest, the others must be in the same age group. Then it hit me. I didn't know how old I was. I didn't know anything about myself. When I finally managed to pull myself from my own head, we were outside a large building. I was led inside and up a series of stairs. We walked into a room where there were about four small cots, and a boy at the end of the room fiddling with something

"Jeff!" Called the boy I had followed there. The boy, Jeff, frantically spun around knocking something over, and quickly put it back.

"Alby?! Hi, I was just about to-" the boy stopped when he caught sight of me. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Jeff, meet the new our new green bean." The boy looked stunned. Alby, must not have been lying when he had told me I was the first girl. "Uh, hi." He said confused. "Why did you bring her here? Is something wrong?" Asked the boy as he nervously turned his hands in on one another.

"Other than the fact that a girl came out of that box for the first time, not that I'm aware of. I want to keep her here while I try and figure things out."

"Oh, okay I guess but what does this mean for us?"

"That's what I need to figure out." Alby turned and looked at me again. "Jeff here is our Med-Jack, this bloody shank is hidden away in this room all day; takes care of the injured and sick. I thought this might be a good place to keep you while I sort out everything out." He said jabbing his thumb in the direction of the door. "Keep me here? Like a prisoner?" I asked nervously.

"No, you'll like it a lot better in here than out there, trust me. Some of the guys can be... overzealous towards new arrivals. I will, however, find one of my guys to give you a tour. Explain a couple things to you." I nodded

"Alright, so I just wait here then?" I asked.

"That's the plan." He said and turned to walk away.

"Wait, why did you call me that?" I asked he turned around and smirked, "It's what we call all the new arrivals, do you remember your name?" For a moment my mind was blank, I didn't know my own name or even anything else about myself for that matter. But then something came back like sunlight fading in from outside, a name came to mind.

"(Y/N)." I said quietly "I think that's my name."

"Well nice to meet you, (Y/N). I'm Alby." I nodded at that, and he did the same before walking from the room, the weak door shutting hard behind him. I turned around to face Jeff, "What now?" I ask and the boy shrugged.

"I'm not sure, I've had nothing to do all day. Was fiddling with labels when you guys burst in. If you like I can try and explain some things to you." I nodded.

"Yes thank you, that would be a great help." The frail boy smiled and sat down on one of the cots waiting for me to do the same. I took a seat on the cot next to his so I could sit facing him.

"Alright, where should we start?"

I had been in the hut for hours now, Jeff had tried his best to explain things too but I still felt confused. The boy had seemed nice enough, and at one point just let me rest to think things over, my nerves still shot. Mind racing. When the door suddenly burst open I nearly fell from the cot and onto the ground. A boy was dragged in, looking like he'd been knocked out, he looked awful and sickly. He had been dragged in by two other boys.

"What happened?" Exclaimed Jeff as he rushed to the boy that had been thrown down on a cot.

"He's been stung! By a Griever right out in broad daylight!" On of the boys shouted. He was far taller than Jeff and had the same black hair messily brushed around his head.

"Minho! Calm down I want the second in command here! Go get Alby!" Said Jeff quite sternly. He was very pale. and looked unwell, but the two other boys didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, yeah, right!" The black hair boy said then sprinted from the room. Jeff and the other boy carried the injured one into another room. I watched as they strapped his arms and legs down to a cot. Jeff frantically rushed back into the main room and knocked over a bottle and a jar as he looked for something. I watched as the other boy seemed to get worse as he watched Jeff closely, then suddenly he fell. His head made a loud thumping noise as it connected with the side of one of the cots.

"What the?" Jeff exclaimed he looked torn between which of the boys to help. I sprung to my feet and raced to the boy who had fallen. Lifting his head I saw blood seeping from a cut where he had hit it.

"I'll help him!" I shouted, urging Jeff to go back to his work.

"What happened?!" Asked Jeff as he went back to digging.

"He hit his head. He's bleeding." I dragged the boy to one of the empty cots and grabbed a cloth thrown over the side of a chair, and pressed it to the wound. I put one hand to his forehead then his cheeks and felt his skin burning up.

"He's got a high fever. I think he's sick and passed out because of it."

"Okay, what's the cut on his head like?" I took the cloth away from the wound and saw that it wasn't very deep, but it was long. It was thin and didn't look too serious.

"Not very deep. It's just long, I don't think it's too serious."

"Alright, good. There're some badges over here on the table. Can you clean and wrap his head?"

"I don't know." My voice sounded unsure.

"Well, you seem pretty capable, not that it's all that hard anyway." I stood up and walked over to the table and grabbed a bottle of water Jeff handed me, along with a roll of bandage.

"Here, that should be all you need." I made my way back over to the fallen boy and pulled the cloth from his head. I watered down a clean piece of the fabric and wiped the blood away. I shoved some gauze on the cut then wrapped the long white bandage around the wound tight enough that it would hold the pressure I had been applying while holding the cloth. Now thinking I was finished, I stepped back and looked to Jeff who I assumed was still digging through the shelves. Instead, he stood away from the boy in the other room looking much calmer. He came over and looked at the boys head. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off when the door was thrown open with a loud bang as it crashed into the wall. Alby and the other boy, the one who had brought the boy in raced inside. They were followed by a third boy the one I had bumped into earlier. They all crowded Jeff, and I took a few steps back.

"What happened? Has he woken up yet?" Asked Alby.

"No no, I just gave it to him." The boy tried to step back but with each step, the others followed.

"What bloody happened to Nick?" Asked the blond boy. Alby looked down and whispered something under his breath.

"He passed out, hit his head." I informed

"I knew he shouldn't have gone out there!" Shouted Alby.

"Calm down, the last thing we need is a leader doubting himself." Said the blond boy again. He had some kind of accent I couldn't quite place.

"This is my fault, I should have known that thing wasn't dead." Said an angry Minho as he looked to the boy in the other cot.

"He can pull through this, they both can. Now did anything happen to Nick out there?" asked the blond boy.

"No, I think the running might have gotten to him though."

"Good, then the shuck-face will be back to join us soon." Said Alby. "Now, back to the more pressing matter of Ben please." The boys walked back over to the small room where the boy, Ben, was being held. Jeff followed then gingerly looked between me and the others.

"Uh, guys?" He asked and nodded over to me.

"What's this?" Asked a very confused Minho.

"The new green bean." Informed Alby.

"A girl?!" He still sounded wildly confused. "I guess Chuck will be relieved."

"(Y/N) were going need you to step out of here. I called Chuck over. He's a short, curly haired boy, and he should be here soon to give you a tour." Said Alby. I nodded and walked to the door. When I reached for the handle I noticed my left hand had a great deal of blood on it. I pulled the door open, stepping out of the room, and made my way downstairs and outside, looking down at my hand. It was covered in sticky, wet blood. I looked down at my shirt and saw it was an almost white color, I couldn't just wipe blood all over my shirt! It'd look like I killed someone. As I stood there I watched as a little boy came up to the building. Just as described, he was a bit of a lager boy who was short with brown curly hair that bounced with each step. He had a happy smile, that is until he saw the blood on my hands. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Your day seems to have gotten off to a rough start." he said with an uncomfortable laugh. He reached into his back pocket and handed me a cloth.

"Here you probably need this." I thanked him and took the cloth wiping the blood from my hands.

"You must be Chuck," I said handing him the cloth back.

"Sure am, former green bean, and recently promoted thanks to you." I chuckled at the sheer happiness the boy had.

"The boy, Alby, he said you would give me a tour."

"Yup. Since I was greenie before you, it's my job. What's your name? Or should I just call you Greenie." He grinned from ear to ear

"My names (Y/N)." He smiled.

Nice to meet you." He said cheerfully. It was surprising that someone could be so happy in a place like this, a life like this. The boy walked away from of the building I had been in moments ago.

"This is the homestead. It's where we all sleep. Most of us sleep downstairs on the main floor. The higher ups like Nick and Alby have their own rooms. They'll probably stick you with the rest of us." He looked around.

"Over there's the kitchen, we eat there. I'll introduce you to Frypan when it's dinner. But right now there's more to see." I followed the boy further away from the building to a large hole in the ground a place I recognized.

"This is the box. Every month someone new comes out of there along with food, water, and anything else we might need, all though last month only supplies came up, people were starting to worry I was the last, but then today you came up."

"And no girl has never come up in the box before?"

"Nope, you'd be the first." There was a moment of silence as I looked down into the darkness that was the box past the fence. Suddenly, the ground shook and the doors of the box shut. I stumbled back and watched as there was no longer a hole. A solid metal door appeared in its place.

"Uh come on," Chuck said taking my wrist and we marched away from the box. He showed me to the forest-like place. It sent chills down my spine as I looked over the shadowy, spindly branches of the dark trees.

"That's the deadheads, I've only been in there once and it's really creepy. I wouldn't recommend going in there." I laughed, and it was a genuine laugh. I had never heard myself laugh before, and it sounded unfitting.

"You see that building over there?" Chuck asked as he pointed to a large gray

"That's the pit, it's like our jail. If someone breaks the rules, they might have to stay in there for a day or two."

"Not a place you'd recommend either?" I asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, not that I've been in there. But you probably don't want to go in there."

"Over there is the farm and a little past that is the slaughterhouse, not a fun place. Over there are the fields. Oh, and the bathrooms are over there by homestead, showers too. That's really it." He said, shrugging.

"What's that over there?" I asked seeing a small hut like building near one of the walls.

"Oh, that? That's the mapping room, but only runners and Nick are allowed in there."

"Runners?" I asked my curiosity peaked by this unknown word and title.

"Oh um, runners are the only ones allowed to leave the Glade."

"What are they mapping?"

"I don't know, I've never been outside. Only ever seen it from the door."

"Door?"

"Yeah there four doors, one, two, three, four." He said as he pointed each one out. I looked to the where he had pointed out the nearest one and made my way there.

"Wait where are you going?" He asked worriedly.

"I just want to see."

"We're not really supposed to go near the doors." Chuck looked sort of nervous like he thought we would get in a lot of trouble.

"I just want to have a look, I won't even get close. I promise." He looked around nervously.

"Fine, just hurry up. We should head to dinner soon." I made my way closer to the large gap in the stone walls. I reached the wall and saw a long straight path leading off to nowhere walls coated with long thick strands of ivy, just like on the inside. The door or so it was called, had one side that was sunk into the wall, lined with holes all the way to the top. The other side had spikes that stuck out. Those two sides must fit together. There was a cold wind that came from deep down the shaft. Something about it seemed wrong as I watched the stone. I wanted to go deeper and see, but I took Chuck's word and kept a careful distance. Then suddenly the ground shook and a loud rumbling noise filled the air. There was a loud alarm noise and the door in the wall began to move. After a while, the two sides clamped together. The shaking of the ground almost made me fall but I kept my footing and didn't waist any time before heading back over to Chuck who had his back to me and arms crossed over his chest. I tapped him on the shoulder, "Where to now?" I asked, and he spun around. He smiled,

"Dinner I'm starving." He said happily. He skipped off in the direction of the large building he'd pointed out as the kitchen earlier. Once we arrived, we found the apparent dinning hall to be flooded with boys. Chuck showed me to get some food and introduced me to Frypan. He was a large boy with thick black hair and a beard. We made our way to a spot at the end of a table and Chuck waisted no time digging into his food. I was however, a little more hesitant. Thoughts still buzzed through my mind. I looked at the younger boy, and guessed he was about 13. I realized again that I didn't know how old I was.

"Hey, Chuck?" I asked and the boy slowed down and looked up at me.

" /"Yeah?" He asked wiping his mouth with his arm.

"How old do you think I am?" He looked at me for a minute.

"16 maybe 17." I nodded and he went back to eating. I waited until he finished eating to ask him anything more.

"What do I do tomorrow?" I asked.

"Well, you go to work. I'm sure one of the keepers will come by to talk to you soon, ask you where you'd like to work."

"Well, where can I work?" I asked.

"Well, you could work as a track-hoe, or go with the slicers in the slaughtered house. Or with the builders, you don't wan't to be slopper. It's the worst."

"How about a runner or a Med-Jack? How would you get one of those jobs?"

"Only the runners spot out other runners. Nick has to approve everyone's job. If you wanted to be a Med-Jack you'd have to ask Jeff, and then he has to talk to Alby who would then talk to Nick. About begin a runner though, don't even try. You're not only a Greenie, but the only girl in the entire shuckin' Glade, they'll never even considered you to be a runner." I slouched down against the table.

Where would you suggest I work?"

"The fields might be nice, you'd be outside, you'd also have the fun title of track-hoe... Or the farms. You would work with animals, but they eventually make their way to the slaughterhouse."

"I think I'd rather work as a Med-Jack, I bandaged the one guy that came in after he hit his head really hard."

"Which guy?" Asked a curious Chuck.

"I think they said his name was Nick." The boy grew wide.

"Nick's the leader here."

"I thought the leader was that Alby guy."

"No, he's second in command. Or at least he was. What a happened?"

"I was waiting in there like Alby told me to, just talking with Jeff. When three guys came barging in, the third guy looked passed out, and they said he was stung. The first boy, Nick ordered the second to go get Alby and then he passed out and hit his head. I helped him while Jeff dealt with the other guys. After that, I was sent outside." He turned that over in his mind playing with his fork. He then looked out the window.

"It's getting dark, I have to get up early so I should go to bed."


	2. New Friends

The next morning I woke up to someone shaking my shoulder. I suddenly sprang up out of my ball I had been sleeping in and nailed someone in the head.

"Ow!" pain shot through my head as it bashed into someone else's. I veered my head back holding my forehead. I pulled my hand away and opened my eyes to see one of the boys sitting there holding his own forehead. It took me a moment to recognize him as the boy I had bumped into, who come to the aid of the sick boy with Alby.

"Well, that hurt," He said pulling back so he was far enough to get a better look at me while he rubbed his head.

"What's going on?" I asked sitting up so I had a better looked at the boy.

"I'm here to wake you. Time to start your first day of work greenie." He said standing up and offering me a hand. I took it and he helped me up from where I lay on the sleeping bag on the floor."Names Newt, I'm the keeper of the fields, which is where you'll be workin'."

"(Y/N)." I said and shook his hand, "Pleasure." He led me through the room of sleeping badges and pillows away from where my own sleeping spot was hidden away from everyone else.  
"What's a keeper?" I asked as we made out way outside and I shielded my eyes from the early morning sun.

"Someone who runs a specific work group. Makes sure everyone stays on task, does what they're supposed to. Keepers are in charge of training the greenies and stuff like that. So on and so forth." He explained I expected to be brought straight to the fields but was brought to the dinner area first having forgotten breakfast I was happily surprises. I gather my food the same way Chuck had shown me the day before. I took a seat at an over crowded table and the boy, Newt took up a seat across me. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I started to eat something. Surprisingly the food was very good and I wasted no time eating.

"He might not look it but frypan really is a miracle worker," Newt said to me and I couldn't help but laugh. Then we continued to eat for I didn't have anything to say.

"What exactly will I be doing in the field?"

"Depends on what needs to be done. Could range from planting to harvesting. Might need you to bring some things to frypan who knows." I nodded not to concerned with the affected the job would take, sounded easy enough.

"Now I know it doesn't sound like much, but considering your doing it all day in the hot sun it becomes exhausting."

"Thanks for the warning," I said trying to muster a halfhearted smile. It was quiet until I finished my food and let question after question pass through my mind.

"Good that." He said standing up from the table "Should we get going then?" I stood up and followed him out the door. He led me to the fields just where Chuck had shown me yesterday. There were already a few boys there but they were just sitting around, that is until Newt came to the group they then spring to their feet and got to work. He walked up and talked to one of the boys I still remained behind. I reached where he was talking to a tall dark haired boy.

"(Y/N) this is Zart he's supposed to keep the others in line when I'm not here." The boy sheepishly looked at the ground and stuttered a hello. Newt then put me straight to work, picking peas from the long row of vines that we're all tangled around poles. It wasn't hard but having been bent over the whole time made my back ache. I did menial jobs mostly picking things. I was then told to Collect rot from around the plants and distribute it amongst the others. Then I was sent to dig up weeds from amongst the plants when I looked down the rows all I saw were weeds. I was handed a buck and trowel and told to get to work, this Newt guy wasn't as gentle a boss as I first thought. After my second hour had passed of pulling weeds from the tagged mess of underdeveloped carrots I plopped myself down in the grass to give myself a short break. The entire back of my shirt was drenched in sweat along with my forehead. The hot sun had been shining down just as I had been warned. I was so tired my arms were sore from pulling and digging and my legs hurt from begin bent over, not to mention my back. As I looked to the sun I was begging it to fall down below the walls and deem the work day over. But it still remained high in the sky almost taunting me with the hours I still had left. I let my eyes wander back to the stone door and I watched as a pair of boys came jogging back into the Glade. Runners, I thought Chuck did say they were the only ones allowed to leave the Glade. I couldn't help wondering what was outside the walls what kept us in here.

"Good work Greenie." Someone said from behind me and I quickly scampered from my sitting position to my knees, to see Newt standing there, smirking.

"It's alright you've earned a little rest." He said with a laugh. I shut my eyes and sighed with relief, as I plopped back down.

"Thank you," I muttered sounding tired as I felt.

"Too bad, you still got lots to do." He said with a smirk as he walked away. I couldn't help but glare at him angrily as I watched him walk away not doing much work himself expected to tell everyone else what to do. Must be nice being a keeper, I thought. I looked down the rows of plant life again and saw how much I still truly had to do. The entire row covered and the two after that were the same. I hadn't bared to look behind me and see what I'd missed. With an exhausted groan, I fell back into the grass and draped my hands over my eyes. Why did I listen to Chuck? I pulled myself back up and pulled off the sweat covered shirt I was wearing and tied it around my waist. It felt better wearing just the tank top I had underneath. A lot cooler for sure. I continued digging and pulling until the oversized bucket was beyond full. Newt was nowhere to be found so I found the other boy, Zart.

"What do I do with all these weeds, I can't fit any more in." He looked up suddenly from where he had been working. Looked from the bucket then to me, then the bucket then to me again.

"Uh, we normally g-give them to the farms." He said pointing to where the animals roamed inside wooden pens.

"Thank you," I said he gave me a nodded the quickly went back to his work. With both arms holding the bucket I dragged it over to the farm. One of the boys saw me and wasted no time to take the buck and give it to the animals. He looked very content with the amount as he dumped it in a feeding toff. He handed the bucket back and continued to pet one of the pigs as they enjoyed digging into the feast of pesky plants. I then jogged back to the fields and got back to weeding. I got past one row and started into another bucket already half full I kept running into sharp thorny weeds I'd prick my fingers in the edges but managed to use the trowel and avoid injury. Upon digging under barry bush I grabbed a particularly large weed and yanked it from the ground, but I didn't know was how close my hand was to one of the sharp weeds. When I pulled my hand out with the weeds I sliced the top of it along a thick thorn. I yelped and dropped the weed once I pulled my hand free. There was a long sketch on my hand it was indeed bleeding. I winced and pressed my hand to the thigh of my pants while I bit my lip waiting for the pain to lessen.

"What happened?" asked someone from across the line of bushes.

"Just scratched my hand," I said waving off the other boy.

"Is it bleeding?" He asked I looked down and saw the steady flow of blood from the cut.

"Just a little." I lied.

"Here." He said tossing me the cloth.

"Wrap it in that, then get back to work." I was wrong about the thought of concern the boy had it was a just annoyance. Using the cloth I bandaged my hand and tied it tight using my teeth and other hand. I then got back to work, looking under every bunch before I started pulling. I looked up as saw the sun starting to make its descent downward and I could help but smile. When I looked around I saw the others not doing much most were sitting there talking with one other, watching as two others were hacking at a tree stump. When I heard footsteps to the right I saw Newt heading back to the field.

"Alright everyone, you can finally leave now." He said with a smile as all the boys stood up with a hoot and smiles as they split off in different directions, all away from this place. Relieved I stood up and stretched my legs that ached I could hear a light piping noise as I bent them. I picked up the bucket and put it back where I had first found it on a table. I turned around about to make my way to the bathroom for a much need shower when I was stopped by none other than the keeper himself.

"Is the bucket empty?" He asked trying to hide a smirk.

I sighed running one hand through my hair

"No," I said and turned around to pick up the bucket.

"What happened to your hand?" He asked, this time, sounding concerned.

"Nothing just scratched it on a thorn," I said looking down at the white fabric and seeing the heavy red color bleeding through. He studied my hand for a moment.

"Go see Jeff, when you're done. Looks like it hurts." He said and turned and left. I had no comment for him after that, headed straight for the fame and dumped the weeds in the troff. I had no intention of going to see Jeff until I thought I could ask him about being a Med-Jack. Instead of gathering my things back at homestead I went up the set of weak and frail stairs. At the top, I was blocked by a dark hair boy who wore an angry scowl.

"What are you doing here?" He asked defensively.

"I'm here to see Jeff. Cut my hand, I was told to have it looked at." The boy glared at me then at my hand.

"Looks like your fine to me. Who told you to have it looked at?" He asked.

"Newt did," I said just wanting to get past this boy. He waited still starting at me with the same hateful glare before he stepped aside.

"Go ahead." He sighed "Jeff!" He shouted and the skinny dark skinned boy popped his head out of one of the rooms. He smiled when he saw I was there to met him and her welcomed me into the room.

"Didn't think I'd see you back for at least another day. So tell me what did you do." He said with a smile after shutting the door behind me.

"I cut my hand while working in the field. Nothing major." The boy nodded the went about the room snooping for what he needed. I took a seat on one of the empty cots and looked to see the other boy, the one I had bandaged up still sleeping away.

"What's the guy in the hallways problem?" I asked.

"Who? Gally? He's just an uptight shuck-face is all. Don't take anything he said personally. He's like that with everyone." I nodded looking around the room.

"Jeff, I wanted to ask you about becoming a Med-Jack?" He stood up from the table with a bottle and cloth in each and a confused looked on his face.

"You want to be a Med-Jack?" He asked sitting down on the cot across me and unwrapping the makeshift bandage I had.

"Yeah. I just spend a whole day out in the field and think I'd be a much better Med-Jack than a farmer. I mean I was able to patch that one boy up, Nick I think someone called him."

"You did a good job on him I'll give you that but I'd have to talk to Alby about it. It would be nice to have some help around here, though. Ever since I lost my partner I've been doing two times the work." He said wiping the blood away with the dry cloth.

"You know what I'll talk to Alby see what I can do." He smiled as he dumped the contents the bottle onto a cloth.

"This might sting a little." He said before pushing the cloth to my cut. The second the new and unknown liquid touch my cut a severe stinging feeling buzzed through my whole hand.

"Ow." I yelped it hurt almost as much as the cut its self.

"Sorry but this will-"

"Keep it from getting infected I know," I said clenching my teeth.

"How do you knew what?" He asked looking amused. I stopped and thought about it for a minute unable to come up with an answer.

"I'm not sure, just do. Like how I know to apply pressure to a bleeding wound and how to properly dress one." He nodded then got up

"Alright, I'm going to go get some bandages. Do me a favor. Check on Nick there I want to know if his fevers worse than yesterday." He said as he walked from the room. I kept the cloth balled up in my hand. I got up and walked to the boy who was sleeping on a cig across the room. He looked worse than yesterday skin a yellow color, his eyes had deep purple circles around them. I notice the odd color of the veins on his neck deep purple and blue. I reached out and felt his forehead. It was much warmer than the day before. He looked like he as in pain. I looked back to the veins on his neck and pulled the side of his short caller down to see where they seemed to meet. His skin grew from a yellow to purple and blue and I saw a small make in his skin where everything seems to meet. Like he has been injected with poison and it was taxation out from that point. I learned in to get a better look at it when an arm shot out and grabbed my throat. I was thrown backward onto the floor. Nick had both hands on my throat I felt him squeezing so hard I could berth let alone make a sound. I was kicking and at him and tried to pry hands off my throat with my own. His eyes were crazy bloodshot and almost yellow and red in color. I looked beside me for somethings anything. Blackness was starting to cut in around the edges of my vision. I was clawing and fighting with all my might but this boy was crazy it was no use. He kept pushing down on my throat I knew he was trying to kill me. I heard a shouted but even it sounded weak. My fingers wrapped around something I wasn't sure what it was but I brought it up hard with all my might against the boys head. But he grabbed my by the throat and bashes my head to the floor. Most of my vision was becoming black now but I was still fighting with all I had. I color hear anything anymore just the pounding of my heart in my chest. I saw a pair of hands rip the other boy away from me and his grip released from my throat. I gasped for air and rolled onto my side. Coughing and heaving. My arms were shaking all of me was. Before I could tell what had happened I blacked out and darkness became everything.

"When I woke up I had a splitting headache. Slowly I managed to open my eyes. I was staring up at the ceiling of homestead. I looked slowly tries to pull myself to a sitting position. I brought one hand up to my head and felt the few layers of bandage wrapped around my head.

"You're awake!" I heard a voice exclaim. I looked over and saw Jeff he happily took up the chair beside the cot I lay in.

"What happened?" I asked feeling the sore pain that came with the movement of my neck. At this, the boys smile faded.

"You passed out." He said looking at the ground. "You've only been out a few hour." He told me leaning back in his chair. I looked out the window and squinted past the candle light to see that darkness has overtaken the glade. "How are you feeling?" He asked filling the silence that had grown between us. I turned and looked to him again.

"Alright, I guess. My head hurt and so do my-" I was cut off by a terrible whaling from down the hall. Screams of pain and anger followed behind it. Jeff mumbled something under his breath then jumped to his feet and ran to the door. I remained in my room and listen to more screaming. I knew it was the boy, the one who had attacked me. The horror of his screams pained me. He shouted like he was dying but from the looks of his wound he probably was. I waited there in the dimly lit room waiting for more screams to follow, but none did. They stopped. Voices did, however, cut through the thin walls. It sounded as though they were in the next room, I couldn't make out words just different sounding mumbles. One was high and meek, I thought it was Jeff. Another sounding strong and deeper. no one else spoke when he did, Alby. Another angry and loud, I didn't recognize it but my best guess was it was the boy from earlier, Gally. There was only one other voice, somewhere between the other with that distinctive accent, none other than Newt. They all sounded like they were arguing, getting louder and louder with each turn. Then someone shouted.

"Enough." It was loud enough that I knew it was for sure Alby, all the others quieted down. There was more talking and I leaned into the wall to listen as best I could but heard nothing. It has grown very quiet and the tension in the room must have broke. It was started by a loud gurgling noise and felt beyond stupid when I realized it was my stomach. I then stood up from the bed and felt my head sway a little as I got to my feet. I made my way to the window and saw the kitchen still had light shining from it. There was still a chance to get something to eat. I made my way to the door when I stopped by none other than Newt. He looked at me suspiciously.

"Where are you going?" I was taken aback for a moment unsure of what to do.

"Uh. I was going to get some food. Haven't eaten since breakfast." I told him.

"Well, then that makes two of us." He said and turned back to the hall. Confused I remained in the room.

"Are you coming?" He called and I rushed from the room and down the flight of stairs to catch up. He led me to the kitchen and I saw it was distressed, not a single other glader there. He went around the counter where we normal collected food and dug around below like Jeff looking for supplies. He came back with a bowl of something. It seemed to be like a small rice and bits of vegetables and dried meat. Great full I took the bowl and began eating. It reminded quietly for a while. Then I looked out past the building to the walls the large towering stone that trapped us there.

"Whats outside the glade?" I asked not taking my eyes from the large stone.

"The maze." He said without hesitation,

"Maze?" I asked looking back to him.

"Yup, one giant stone maze. It never ends and there is no exit."

"What happens in the maze that gets people sick?" He looked down at his bowl shoving the food around.

"They're called grievers, they're the reason only runners can leave the glade and the reason no one's ever survived a night in the maze." He paused thinking about something.

"They will tear you to shreds if they ever catch you. If you're fast enough you can get away you can live but if you get stung you go through something called the change and if you don't get back here to be treated you'll die."

"You treated Ben but the other boy, Nick he's he been treated yet?" He looked down into his bowl deep sadness overtook his expression.

"No. We can't help him now."

"I'm sorry," I told him looking to his eyes but he wouldn't raise his won to met mine.

"So am I." He looked up now and met my eyes. They were a deep brown color that seemed to forever go on. I realized I had been staring a little too long and looked away fast.

"Best be getting you back to homestead. I'm sure Jeff's worried about where you are." br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Why can't I go back to my sleeping area?" br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Jeff orders. Says he wants to keep you there for tonight." I nodded and he stood up and grabbed the bowls and brought them back behind the counter.

"I'm giving you tomorrow off." He said as we made our way back to the towering building.

"I guess possible brain damage earns anyone a day off." He laughed.

"Don't think I give days off easily. You can ask any of the boys about that. You'll be surprised to know not many of field works like me as a keeper." I couldn't help but laugh out loud at this.

"No, I believe them," I said as we walked through the tall grass.

"Am I really that bad?" He asked sounding overly offended.

"Yes and no. You're nice, you just pile on the work is all."

"Alright." He said with an overzealous nod. "I'll keep that in mind." Quietly we made our way into homestead and up the fragile stairs. I went back into the room I had walked in and expected to be alone but Newt followed me in. I sat down back in the bed and untied my shoes and pulled my feet up into the bed. He took a seat in the chair where Jeff had been sitting.

"Shouldn't you be getting to sleep?" I asked.

"I can't and I won't sleep probably not until this situation with Nick comes to an end."

"I guess that makes two of us," I said with a smile as I echoed his word.


	3. Someone Else's View

It had been almost a week since my run in with Nick at homestead. For the first couple of days, I had done my part to help Jeff. Now I was unfortunately back to work in the fields. Back breaking labor of digging and pulling weeds. I was wrist deep in dirt digging holes for plants when I heard someone come up behind me with a cheerful hello. I looked behind me to see Chuck happily standing there.

"Hey, Chuck. What are you doing here?" I asked happy to take a much-needed break.

"Today's a slow day, the guys told me to scram." He said looking down at the dirt.

"I wish I had your luck. I would love nothing more than for Newt to tell me to get out of here." He laughed and smiled taking his eyes off the ground.

"I guess your right. Anyways can I just hang out here?" br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Course." I said looking around unable to see the keeper anywhere to say otherwise. He took a seat down in the grass beside me. I went back to digging while talking with Chuck, the small conversation I was mostly working.

"Hey! (Y/N)!" Someone shouted and I looked up to see Zart across the dirt patch.

"That's enough holes. Take a break." I nodded and thanked the older boy and stood up from the dirt. I looked around and saw the other boys loitering around. No ones was really doing work my guess, it was because Newt was gone again. I sat back down across from Chuck and lay down in the grass. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /I watched something crawl up the vine of peas near by. It paused and scanned the area with a red light. It was a silver bug

"What is that thing?" I asked Chuck as I watched the thing scamper away.

"Beetle Blade. They're harmless so long as you don't touch them." He smiled, "A few poor shanks tried to catch one once didn't go well." He continued to smile as he recalled the memory. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"I leave for all of five bloody minutes and you lot think the work days over!" Someone said sternly. Everyone jumped back to their work, including me. I began fiddling with the holes to look like I was doing something. Chuck remained seated like he didn't care, which he probably didn't. Out of all the people Newt made his way to where I pretended to do work. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"I think you've done enough work here. Why don't you deadhead some plants." He said br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /"Sure thing." I said rising to my feet and dusting off my pants. I picked up a pair of trimmers and walked to the nearest plant, Chuck remained where he sat in the grass. I heard him talking with Newt who never seemed to do any work himself, just order everyone else around. He was my friend, but a terrible keeper.

After we were dismissed from that day's work Chuck and I headed to a tree atop a hill. He told me he came here sometimes. Sitting down and resting my sore back against the tree I let exhaustion wash over me.

"Working in the field is so tiring," I complained shutting my eyes.

"I could see that, but that's not all I saw." He said like he was implying something. I opened one eye and looked at him.

"What else did you see." He smiled like a little boy from kindergarten.

"Not sure I should say." He said like he was trying to sound mysterious when it was clear he wanted to tell me.

"Obviously, you want to, you wouldn't have brought it up otherwise," I said now looking at him with both eyes.

"It might be nothing, but I kept seeing Newt watch you while you work."

"That is nothing. He's the keeper and he's trying to make sure I don't screw up." I said board with his apparent observation.

"No, I've seen that look and this isn't that. Like he likes watching you like he likes you." I laughed out loud with a lot emphasis.

"Please, you're joking. He likes me about as much as Gally likes anyone." I scoffed

"I thought you were friends?"

"We are I think. He's the keeper and piles on the work every day. After a long work day, I don't find I want to talk to him all that much."

"I get it. I never want to talk to my keeper. He's a jerk. Always makes me do the worst jobs."

"So you do things ever change here?" I asked watching things go on the same way they did every day. Like they always had.

"Not since the day you arrived. But any more things are just the same, always the same." He said as he randomly tossed pebbles.

"Doesn't that get, repetitive?" I asked

"Yeah. But what else is there to do here?"

"I don't know, try and find a way out. Study every part of this place, of the maze. Find a way to get us out of here." I said leaning back against the tree. Things got quiet I'm sure he didn't know what else to do.

"Do you think I have parents?" He asked and I looked at him with saddened eyes. "I mean I know I have them. But do you think they're alive? or that their worry about me?"

"Of course, I do. You're a great kid. How could they not miss you?" I said giving him a gentle shove. He his frown remained

"Do you think they gave me away? To whoever put us here?"

"The story could be different for us all. Let's just hope that one day we'll acutely know."

"I want to know if there's a better life than this one." He said.

"Me too."

"Is it sad that you're my only friend?" He asked I couldn't help but laugh no matter how sad or serious our conversations got, he brought back around to make it happy.

"You have other friends, don't you? You know everyone in the glade."

"I know them doesn't mean they are my friends."

"But you talk with Newt often enough, and the other boys. Minho and Zart."

"Newt speaks to me like a child so do all the others. You don't, you listen to me. Like what I have to say might actually mean something."

"Watch one day you'll be one of the smartest and the bravest of us all. You'll show them." He laughed

"Unless cleaning becomes very important in the next little while I think it'll stay the same." Our conversation was dry after that. Chuck randomly told stories of his hard work day. We stayed at the tree for the remainder of the day. When we headed out for dinner we looked at the large group of boys heading into the kitchen. We made our way across the uneven ground until we reached the kitchen. There a large crowed of boys were all talking and quite loudly. I could barely hear Chuck anymore, but I managed to catch the part about him getting the food. I made my way through the thick cluster of people until I reached a table not far from the back that was mostly clear of rough housing. Taking a seat I watched Chuck attempt to make his way over without spilling water on the ground. Out of guilt for laughing, I got up and helped the boy to the table. There was little conversation to be heard among us and we mostly listened to the others. Loud shouts fallowed by waves of laughter. There wasn't really all that many kids 40 would have been my guess but in the small room, it seemed like a lot more. Later I accidentally spilled water down the front of my shirt making it cling to my skin. Chuck had a good laughed at that. I sprung up from the bench and flimsily threw one leg over the bench and as I pulled my other leg free I tripped. Throwing myself off balance I landed hard on the ground. I was also unaware that my shirt had caught on something and tore. I stood up suddenly trying to come back from my fall. Chuck burst into laughter dropping his head onto the table. I looked down and saw the tear that exposed my entire stomach and just below my bra. Frantically I clawed at it to hold the shirt shut. Chuck could barely breathe he was laughing so hard. This drew some attention from a couple boys who were probably unaware of what had happened. Chuck looked behind me holding back his snicker, I spun around to see Minho and Newt standing there confused. When they both got a look at me Minho raised his eyebrows held back a laugh and looked away, Newt looked at me with wide eyes cleared his throat and looked to the roof.

"What happened?" He asked in a tight voice.

"I fell, my shirt caught on something and tore." He then pulled off the sweater like shirt he wore and handed it to me. Now standing there in his usual white shirt.

"Here." Grateful I took the shirt and pulled it on over my head. It almost didn't fit me, he was a very skinny and tall. Thank you," I said folding my arms over my chest still embarrassed.

"Well uh, (Y/N) this is Minho, Minho (Y/N)." The boy reached out a hand to me and I shook it smiling past the awkward tension.

"I don't believe you've met yet?" He continued

"No, we haven't, I just saw you briefly back in homestead the day... Nick and Ben were stung."

"Yeah, my first day here." It grew quiet again Newt cleared his throat then spoke.

"We were just coming to get something to eat, mind if we join you?" He asked politely

"Of course." I sputtered into life, offering the table as I took my seat across from Chuck. The boy still smiled his face bright red from his fit of laughter. Newt took up the seat beside me and Minho took the one besides Chuck. Our conversations were mostly bleak that night the crowd of people soon thinned out. Chuck seemed to be bored out of his mind, he got up soon and left, saying he see me in the morning. Now hearing some story's of Minho's time in the maze and my question came back.

"You've been running the maze for years now, and you've never once seen anyway we could possibly get out?"

He sighed looking down at the table.

"No. I've searched every inch of that maze and there's nothing. I use to think the shunkin' thing never ended. Now I wish there was more to search."

"Why do you ask?" Newt said from beside me.

"I'm not sure, I want to know if there's still hope for us." They both exchanged looks then looked down at the table.

"Maybe there is, maybe there isn't. One day we'll know" Newt said . It grew oddly quiet all eyes down at the table. Minho then stood up and announced his leavening. Now alone with Newt I couldn't come up with any more questions. I stood up and carefully stepped over the bench.

"I should probably go have a much-needed shower," I said tucking my hands in the pocket of the sweat I had been lent. Remembering fast who's it was.

"Right your sweater," I said and began to pull it off but he spoke and stopped me.

"Don't worry about it. I'll get it from you some other time. Besides, you do kinda need it." He said with a playful smirk one I had seen often. I softened and tuck my hands back in the pockets.

"Thank you. Aren't you heading back to homestead or something?" I asked seeing as he hadn't gotten up yet.

"No, I think I'll stay here awhile. See you tomorrow, Greenie."

"Alright, goodnight then," I said and turned and began walking out of building back to homestead to get a shirt that acutely belonged to me and that was in one piece.

AN: I really hope you guys are enjoying this story. It's pretty old and I'm just posting it on here cause what the hell? So comment, review. I love to hear feedback.


	4. Faded Memories

**You gotta remember.**

 **You can't forget, not this.**

 **Remember, something, anything.**

 **About them, what they're doing.**

 **The cliff, the cliff.**

 **Go to the cliff.**

My eyes opened slowly, I was sleeping huddled in my bag on the ground. Slowly I sat up, looking around my surroundings I saw that everyone was still asleep. I pulled myself free of the sleeping bag and tied up my shoes and pulled my fingers through my tangled hair. Outside there were only noises of animals and I could barely make out a few shapes of people wondering around the glade. I didn't feel the need to eat anything so I walked around for a little while. I walked around the glade finding myself outside the deadhead forest. Standing where the trees meant the field like land I looked over the glade. This couldn't be all that was meant for us, could it?

The maze.

The words blew through my mind like the breeze. I looked at the towering stone walls and at the large gap that was the door, I watched as Minho jogged out alone. This must have been the time the runners left. I needed to go out there, to see what was out there. To the cliff, something about the maze and this cliff called my name. I needed to see it.

"What are you doing up this early?" Asked a kind and familiar voice. I turned and saw Newt walking toward me. He always seemed to be at arms length, nearby and always able to find me. The thought made me slightly happy knowing there was someone I knew close by. But the realization that he probably only kept my at arms length was because he was responsible for me, occurred and I felt sad. Wishing there was another reason and other than the fact I was the new greenie.

"I just woke up," I told him as he joined me at the edge of the forest.

"Must be the doors, the rumbling often wakes a couple people," He said happily take up a position beside me.

"Have you ever been in the maze?" I asked looking back to the cold gray stone.

"Many times. I use to be a runner, as a matter of fact." I looked at him surprised.

"Really?"

"Yup, I'm glad I'm not doing it anymore, though. The Bloody place was afoul. Bad things happened."

"Is that how you got your limp?" I asked and immediately regretting it feeling as if I overstepped bounds. But he simply looked at me with a calm exception.

"I think that's a story for another day." He said and I felt relieved he didn't sound hurt or upset. It grew quiet between us and watched as the other leaders slowly rose and got went about their day.

"We should head to breakfast before there's nothing left."

We headed back through the field of grass and made our way to the kitchen. There weren't many people there but it was starting to fill up. In no time at all the room would be filled with people all eating quick and fast before heading to work. I looked around and Chuck was nowhere to be seen. So having lost site of anyone I knew I took up a seat near the end of the table. It was, after all, safer sliding into a seat then stepping over. The maze kept coming to mind, the things I had heard in my dream replaying over and over. When I watched a small boy take the seat beside me I was still lost in thought and it took his hand in front of my face to bring me back.

"Somebody's tired," He said taking the first few bites of his food.

"Sorry, I was just thinking."

"What about?" He asked taking another mouthful of food.

"The maze," I told him and he choked as I said that, taking a great swing of water to wash it down.

"Why are you thinking about that place?" I waited a minute before answering, making sure what I was saying was true and not a streak of crazy.

"I think, I might want to go in it." He looked at me with wide eyes.

"Are you crazy?"

"Yes, but that's beside the point," I said with a smile and he gave me a smile for the joke.

"Whatever, what happened after I left last night?" He asked and I thought back to the full conversation of last night.

"Nothing," I told him.

"Really?" He asked sounding almost surprised.

"Yeah, why do you sound surprised?" I asked narrowing in with suspicion.

"No reason. I just thought Minho would have had a lot to say." He said quickly and looking away. I didn't press him on it but he seemed uncomfortable like something was bothering him. I thought now maybe it would have been best to not bring up the maze-like I had.

After about an hour of wondering around the glade, we decided it was time for work. The others were just starting to acutely work when I walked up some of the boys were trying to cut out a tree trunk from the field but most others were on their hands and knees in the dirt of the fields. I was quickly ushered to work by Zart. Harvesting the garden and placing everything in a basket I had been thrown. After clearing a few plants free of anything worth taking I was ordered to go give everything to Frypan. Without hesitation, I got up and gladly crossed the Glade away from the hard labor. I made my way into the kitchen to find it empty Frypan wasn't anywhere in sight. I made my way into the back and heard a loud crash. Peering through the doorway there stood an angry Minho fighting with another boy. He was repeatedly punching him beating the boy over and over. The other boy was fighting back but not very well. He grabbed the boy by his shirt and threw him hard against a wall. He was shouting at him then threw another punch at the boy then let go letting him drop to the floor. He stormed from the room and I jumped back from the door. Still, even after moving he ran into me. He paused for a moment then realized I might have seen what happened.

"How long have you been standing there?" Minho asked

"Longer than you'd like," I said stepping back, I was intimidated by the boy.

"You aren't going to say anything about this right?" He said crossing his arms over his chest.

"Of course not," I said stepping back, I knew it would be a terrible idea to mess around with the keeper of the runners, and a boy possibly twice my size.

"Good." He said with a half smile then he turned to leave. Then it occurred to me that he was the keeper of the runners and I had something on him.

"Wait," I said and he stopped and turned around, looking at me with squinted eyes of suspecting.

"What?" He questioned.

"I won't tell anyone what I just saw if you do something for me." He looked almost shocked but then smiled.

"Looks like you're tougher than I first thought. Alright, what do you want?"

"Take me in the maze." His eyes grew huge.

"You're crazy. Why would you want to go in there?"

"That's not important."

"Forget it, if I take you in the maze I'm in the pit for the next week, fighting or the maze same punishment. No deal."

"What if no one finds out you took me in the maze? No one knows so no one gets in trouble." I said I could feel his frustration and felt dumb doing this myself, threatening someone far superior to myself.

"And how well is that going to work, Newts always keepin' an eye on you. Once he sees you're gone he'll know something's up."

"Not if I get Chuck to cover for me, get him to say I'm sick or something." I said going through the plan in my head. He was quiet for a moment.

"What happens if we still get caught?"

"I tell them it was all my idea."

"Which it was." He made clear. After a moment for him to think he finally answered

"Fine, I'll take you in the maze. Tomorrow you get up before dawn and we leave before Alby or any of the others wake up. You listen to every word I say and don't tell anyone. If I get caught bringing you into the maze it might be worse than getting caught fighting." Without another word, he stormed from the room. I thought about what had just happened, it was clear he and I wouldn't be the best of friends but I won and he was taking me into the maze. Now my only problem was getting Chuck to help.

The next morning came too early, Minho had roughly shoved me with his foot to wake me up. I scrabbled to my feet and followed him out of the homestead. Outside was empty not a single other glader was out there. Never had I seen it so empty before. Minho let me choke back some food before dragging me to some shed. He threw some kind of harness at me and told me to grab two knives of my choosing from an old box in the corner. He looked through a bucket for shoes but none of them would fit me. So since it was only for one day we told me I didn't need them, he tossed me a bag and we headed out just as the walls opened.

"If we get caught I'm blaming everything on you," He said as he jogged out of the glade. I took my first steps on the stone ground then another and another. I felt so strange to leave the glad almost scary but before I knew it, the glad was completely out of sight.

My lungs burned and my legs begged me to stop, perhaps this wasn't such a good idea. Minho ran without fault ways in front of me, I was dying behind him barely able to keep up.

"Getting tired there Greenie?" He scoffed I wanted to shot some sarcastic remark at him but needed the air too much to waste it on talking. Soon he stops and I nearly fell over when he did.

"We'll take a break, for now, then we should head back," He said as he took a seat near one of the walls. I dropped to my knees trying to catch my berth. My clothes we drenched in sweat, my feet throbbed along with my knees. I can't believe I'm saying this but I miss the field work. I drank all of the water I had from one bottle and half of the other. Minho just laughed, he didn't look tired at all just broad.

"It's harder than you thought huh?" He asked and I nodded "Why did you even want to come out here?" He asked taking a bite of a sandwich he had in his bag. I couldn't bring myself to eat anything, I felt close to throwing up.

"I wanted to see the cliff," I told him and he looked utterly confused.

"You blackmailed me into taking you out here, putting myself at risk so you could see the nothingness that is the cliff?"

"Yup." I panted

"You're crazy." He laughed

"Yeah, so I've been told." It was finally quiet, my berthing back to normal and my tired knees begging me to just sit there forever.

"If you really want to see the cliff, it's around the corner. Turn left past that wall." He said point to one of the Ivy draped gray slabs. I stood up ignoring the pain that came with each step as I went around the wall. I found myself facing eternal nothing. Just empty space that looked like it stretched on forever. I looked out over it like watching the sea from afar.

The cliff

You know it's the cliff

The words sounded in my head like a whisper. I got closer, the edge my toes just on the edge of the cliff. I looked out and felt like I was looking at something, something important. I clawed at hand through the air in front of me to feel it was real. My hand hadn't even fallen through my stride when I was suddenly pulled backward and onto the ground.

"Do you have a shuckin' death wish?!" Minho shouted over me he sounded totally enraged "Had you been any closer to the edge you would have fallen right off the cliff! Gone!" He shouted

"I was just looking!" I shouted back getting to my feet.

"Well next time do us both a favor and don't." He was a little calmer but still angry.

"Come on. Let's get back to the glad before you go and find some other way to kill yourself."

He said and began jogging off in the other direction. I looked over my shoulder starting at the cliff once more before falling behind him again.

It was endless silence as I jogged along behind him, thankfully he had slowed his pace and made it a little more bearable for me to keep up.

"Half way h-" he was cut off by a loud metallic sound. A ghastly wail filled the air followed by the sound of metal on stone. Minho stopped dead in his tracks,

"A geriver." He said under his breath almost to himself. "We gotta go." He said and took off in a full on sprint. He moved faster than I could possibly.

"Minho!?" I shouted he was getting too far ahead. My heart raced faster and faster as I tried to keep up, fear pulsing through my veins. I was afraid, terrified I'd be left alone there with this monster in the maze. He didn't slow down and soon he was out of site I ran as fast as I could but couldn't keep up. One corner after another but I still couldn't see him. Suddenly the loud metallic sound was back, this time, louder, closer, to close. I froze, fear the only thing I knew, it got closer and closer. I looked around and it sounded like it was behind me. I ran to the nearest wall and piles the long Ivy stands over me. Hiding beneath them. Soon the sound was closer, right in front of me and the metal scrapping came around the corner. I felt my whole body shaking my knees weak and my berthing sounded too loud like it would hear me. I clamped one hand over my mouth and tried to breathe through my nose. I watched as the blob of skin and metal crawled past me. I didn't know what I was expecting but, I wasn't expecting this. It's strange noise consuming the air around me. As it slowly went by I smelt the metal and oil thick and sticky in the air. Suddenly it stopped dead in front of me. It scanned everything around it with a red light. It knew I was there. Out of now where something lashed out and grabbed my ankle and dragged me out of the vines. I screamed, screamed so loud the gladers must have heard it. The thing then shot out a needle-like arm. Plunging the sharp metal towards me I rolled out of the way. It missed stabbing the hard ground, deforming the metal tip. Frantically clawing at the knife on my backpack I swung at the beast. Slicing some of the grey pinky flesh. A white puss like substance oozed out. It made a noise so loud I had to cover my ears. It let go my of ankle and I scrambled to my feet and sprinted away. I had never run so fast in my life. Terrified all the pain of my limbs was gone. I heard it coming after me, the loud and fast pace of the claws on the stone ground. It caught one of my legs and I fell smashing my face on the ground, arms breaking most of my fall. I was dragged backwards, I clawed at the vines holding on as tight as I could with sweaty hands. It was pulling with great force it felt like my leg might come lose but the vine did. I grabbed the knife again and repeatedly stabbed at the metal arm that dragged me. I stabbed until something broke. The arm came lose releasing its grip. I swung the knife at the creature, slicing and cutting its fat like flesh. I kept moving never staying in one place. Cutting and stabbing at the thing, I felt crazy and terrified. It lifted a long metal arm about to lung, I threw myself forward and landed behind it. I plunged my knife it a lose hanging flap of skin with a metal piece sticking out. The thing made a terrible sound then stopped. Everything about it, the nose, the moving, all stopped. Unable to believe it was dead I stood there staring. Minho then came running around the corner. He stopped totally shocked.

"You killed it." He finally managed. "How?"

"I-I don't know." I muttered. "We should leave." I mumbled. He nodded and I jogged up beside him, then ahead not able to let the adrenaline wear off until I was safe again.

We reached the door back to the glad but, before I turned the corner to the glad to be out of that place Minho stopped me.

"Wait here awhile, there's probably people watching the doors since they probably heard the geriver and chances are your screams. But don't wait around to long, the doors will be closing soon and you might have killed a geriver but at night there's often more than one." I nodded still shook up from the attack. I stayed in the corner watching as he ran back into the glad. I wanted nothing more than to go back inside. But as I watched Minho jog deeper in the glad where he was confronted by someone, then a bunch more boys. He looked back over his shoulder at the door where I was hiding. He laughed and walked away the boys close behind him. I slowly stepped around the corner and started walking toward the door. I stuck close to the walls I took long steps over the tangled vines on the ground. I was just outside the door now and no one was there. Slowly I jogged past the stone door, looking at the spike that stuck out from the left side. I reached the soft grass again and felt the want to just fall down. I couldn't, so sticking close to the walls were hidden by the shadows I kept going. I was a fair distance away from the door when I felt the ground shake and all doors rumbled shut. Thankful I had made it through onto safe ground. Everyone seemed to be watching the door like they were afraid they wouldn't hold the gerivers back. I remained there ways from the door and felt the horrible pain in my joints, there was blood on my arms and a few starches. I thought I was concealed in the dark but when Chuck came jogging up to me he looked horrified.

"What happened?!" He asked

"Long story, but it starts with the unfortunate meeting of a geriver." I said slowly walking to homestead not taking my eyes off the frail building in hopes to just go to sleep.

"Were you stung?!" He asked scared

"No, just took an afoul beating." I told him stopping to calm the frightened boy.

"You need to go see Jeff." He said pushing me toward the building faster. Chuck helped me to the med-jacks room and onto one of the cots. I asked him to get me a few things and I started tending to my wounds. Jeff came in after dealing with Nick no doubt. He then took the cloth from me and the bandage and did it himself. Telling me I was doing an afoul job, the concern the boy felt was clear to see as he tended to the cuts on my arm.

"Newt came around here earlier looking for you." He told me.

"What did you tell him?"

"That I didn't know where you were." I nodded

"How did things go today?" I asked Chuck my voice tired and sore.

"I did my best but I think people were a little suspicious. Especially Newt went off to look for you the second I said you weren't coming to work."

"You told them I was sick right, everything we had discussed?"

"I did the only problem is I'm a terrible lier."

"He is." Assured Jeff, he looked up at me while wrapping a cut in my arm.

"You're not going to ask what happened?" I asked him not sure why he hadn't said anything.

"I have a pretty good idea. I'm not going to tell anyone if that's what you're wondering."

"Thank you," I said and rested my head against the wall behind me I was so tired.

"I did tell Newt I saw you with Minho this morning." I opened my eyes again looking at him

"Great, I'll have to deal with him later a suppose." It was quiet again until Chuck thought to change things.

"So what happened to it, the geriver?"

"I don't know. It attacked me and then it stop."

"It's stopped like it left or it stopped like dead?"

"I think I killed it," I said eyes still shut, thinking back to the moment I plunged the knife into it and it let out the horrible noise then stopped altogether.

"Ow," I shouted as Jeff applied some of that burning cleaning stuff.

"I've been here for a very long time never has anyone ever killed a geriver." He said morbidly, I didn't know what to say I just remained quiet. He finished wrapping the cuts and told me I was going to stay there overnight. I thanked him it was probably better there not needing to deal with anyone other than my friends. Chuck had brought me something to eat and remained there with me asking question after question about the maze. That is until Jeff pushed him out saying he need to be gone. I was so tried I thanked Jeff allowed myself to settle down in the small cot, it didn't take very long before I feel asleep. My dreams hallow and black, except for the words that slowly faded in.

 **You know how to get out.**

 **Do it before it's too late.**


	5. Newt

It was the same as it usually was. He woke up early got something to eat, like normal. He looked about the kitchen for her but she was nowhere to be found. He caught site of her usual companion, the small curly-haired boy who sat by himself at the end of the table. He looked nervous and unsettled. He walked over to the boy and took the seat his friend normally did.  
"Mornin' Chuck." He said casually.  
"Hey, Newt." The boy wouldn't meet his eyes.  
"Something wrong?" He asked young Chuck.  
"W-what? No, nothing." The boy looked up suddenly then down again.  
"Where's (Y/N)?" Newt asked striking the boy like that was the one question he was afraid of.  
"S-said she wasn't feeling well." That was it, he was keeping his words short.  
"Oh so then she won't be coming to work today?"  
"I don't think so." Not having eaten anything Chuck looked ill himself.  
"Chuck are you sure everything's alright?"  
"I'm fine." He said looking down at his food. "I should get to work." He said stepping up from the counter. Something was wrong. He thought he better go find her. Finishing what little breakfast he was hungry for Newt headed to homestead he woke all those still sleeping for it was the start of the work day. With many compliments he got the boy to work. Heading to the back where he knew (Y/N) typically slept. But there he found the sleeping bag and pillow but no girl. He then headed to see Jeff perhaps she was there. He went into the room where the beds for injured usually were no one was in there. Cursing under his breath Newt walked out to find Jeff. He walked down and stopped as he looked to the door to Nicks room. It was quiet not painful cries or whimpers. He opened the door and there was Jeff standing at the end of Nicks bed. Taking notes over his progress each day like Alby had ordered.  
"Newt." Said Jeff with a smile "What are you doing here?" He walked over to his friend and greeted him.  
"Looking for you acutely." He said walking into the door looking down at the sick boy.  
"What for?" He asked looking confused  
"You haven't by chance seen (Y/N) have you?" He asked and the dark haired boy sketched his head.  
"She's not been here, I did see her early this morning though heading, somewhere with Minho I think." Newt brought one hand up to his face holding his index finger knuckle to his lip.  
"I see. Alright, thank you, Jeff." He then went off to the glade. He felt strange almost angry. But then he realized Minho was in the Maze. And he froze there in the middle of the hall.  
Had she gone in the maze?  
The sudden fear he felt was amens. Why was he so scared? If she had gone into the maze and broken the rules it was her own stupid choice. But he still felt responsible and afraid. He tried to calm himself down and relaxed, he still didn't know for sure she was in the maze. Slowly he gathered himself and made his way down to the fields. The boys were doing little next to now work that day. He kept barking orders to keep them in line. Newt found he kept looking at the doors as he swung at a large tree stump the one the boys had been trying to get ride of days. Before each swing looking up at the doors. Then suddenly a loud mechanical cry sounded, then a scream. A loud shrill scream, like that of a girl. His heart stopped and for a moment he couldn't breathe.  
"Newt?" Someone asked it took a hand on his shoulder to snap him from the fearful daze. He looked at the boy beside him.  
"You look like you've seen a ghost." He felt his heart racing in his chest and couldn't bring himself to say anything. He looked around and saw the other all looking to where the noise had come from.  
"Get back to work." He said voice horse and he watched the others slowly get back to work. He nailed the hatchet into the stump and walked away, Minho should have been back by now.  
He raced around the glade for the rest of the day. She wasn't there not a chance she was, he would have found her by now. The sun was coming down soon to pass behind the walls which would be shutting any minute. That's when he watched Minho jog back inside. Without hesitation, he ran up to his friend.  
"What happened? Why did I hear screaming?" He asked firmly  
"A scream." The boy rubbed the back of his neck shamefully  
"I saw a geriver scared the knuckle out of me." He said laughing as a few more boys came running to find out what had happened.  
"We need to talk," Newt told his friend sternly and the boys eyes flash with worry for a split second.  
"Alright, let's go then." He said and began walking with his friend away from the doors. Newt felt worse she wasn't anywhere in the glade and hadn't come back with him where was she? There was a tight pain in his chest, as he thought about it. He went with Minho back to his room and pestered him for hours nothing not a thing about her.  
"Come on Minho I know you took her in the maze. Just tell me she's alright." He said while his friend just looked at him while he untied his shoes. He frowned ran a hand through his dark hair and looked up at his angry and unsettling friend.  
"If I tell you everything you don't tell Alby or throw me in the pit."  
"Yes, yes, alright. Talk." He said  
"Fine. I took her in the maze." Newt dropped his head into his hand.  
"Why would you do that. You know how dangerous it is in there. Especially after everything with Nick."  
"I do but she blackmailed me to, but Newt listen. We were attacked by geriver and-"  
"No stop. You were attacked? Was she hurt? Where is she?" Newt was almost shouting.  
"Yes, she's fine and by now she should be back. But Newt."  
"Where is she?" Minho frowned and sighed.  
"She should be with Jeff, took s bit of a beating." Without another word he turned around and walked for the door.  
"Newt, she killed a geriver." He stopped dead in his tracks, turned around to face his friend.  
"She what?"  
"You heard me." He said crossing his arms over his chest.  
"You might want to acutely listen now."  
Newt agreed and heard Minho's whole story starting from when he beat a young glader and that was how (Y/N) got him to take her into the maze. He had finally finished and Newt headed straight to Jeff in the medical area. There in the doorway, he ran straight into Jeff.  
"Newt." the boy looked around nervously "What are you doing here?"  
"I'm here to see (Y/N)." He said overly eager to get inside.  
"She's, uh." Newt raised a hand to quiet the boy.  
"I know what happened. I just want to see her." Jeff's eyes filled with fright as he quickly glanced back in the room then to the older boy.  
"Okay. She's sleeping, right now but you can go see her." He thanked the boy and stepped in the room. And there just as he was told, she slept peacefully on one of the cots. He walked over to her bedside and pulled up a chair. All the pain and tight feelings that had been brought up in his chest softened and he felt relieved. She looked beautiful even there sleeping. He realized the thought as it passed through his mind. And he quickly tried to shake it off. He liked her and he knew it, but he couldn't, it would make things far too confusing and dramatic. Her lip had a cut and her cheek bruised. Her arm stuck out from the black and was clearly wrapped up Jeff's handy work. The rest of her was hidden beneath a blanket. He felt sorry for her like this was all his fault. He was angry at Minho for taking her in the maze, he knew he was supposed to tell Alby to punish them. He didn't want to get either of his friends thrown in the pit or worse. Perhaps he could just deal with it quietly. Sitting back in the chair he tried to forget about all that. Looking at the sleeping girl he knew she was different, just something about her was different but he didn't know what.


	6. Unlikely Friends

**AN: Sorry for those of you who are following my other story and are just getting spammed. But if you've read the maze runner books and or seen the movies this book might appeal to you. If you're a Newt fan of course.**

When I woke up I was alone in the long room. It was light out which meant it was the next day. Slowly I sat up my whole body ached, worse than I thought possible. I sat back down unable to move. Suddenly Jeff came into the room carrying a small amount of food.  
"It's alright. I told Newt you weren't allowed to go to work today." Relived everything had stayed in place I rested. Grateful I took the tray of food but felt no interest in eating.  
"Is everything okay?" I asked as the boy took a glass from the tray and sat down at the end of the bed.  
"Fine. How are you feeling?"  
"Sore," I said rubbing my tired joints  
"Well, going into the maze will do that. Be thankful you don't have to do it again."  
"It was stupid, I just hope Alby or Newt don't find out." Jeff got oddly quiet and looked away.  
"They don't know do they?" I asked lurching forward my core ached like someone had punched me.  
"I'm not sure. Newt said he knew but how much I don't know." I let myself fall back.  
"Great, well I suppose he's told Alby by now if he knew."  
"Again I don't know, but maybe he hasn't."  
"I doubt it. If he himself broke a rule and nobody knew about he'd tell Alby." Jeff laughed and took a piece of bread from the tray and ate it.  
"True. My advice just avoid the guy. You can't get in trouble if he can't find you." He said with a smile while he finished off the bread.  
"Sounds like a plan."  
I spent the rest of that day with Jeff he had me help fix up a few bits coming in with cuts and scraps. I got a few questions about my own injuries but managed to change the subject. Jeff told me occasionally to help him. Bringing me into the room Nick was strapped to the bed. By the end of the day, I had managed to keep moving and take my mind off the sore pain in my joints. It was getting late and I would need to go to dinner soon. So I went to the room where Jeff had been about to ask if I was going to collect the food. I entered the room where the boy looked down at Nick his face a mess of emissions.  
"Jeff?" I asked gently putting my hand on the boy's shoulder.  
"He's dead." Muttered the boy. He wasn't crying but he looked hurt and shocked like he thought maybe the boy really would turn around. I stepped forward and took off the restaurants folding the boys arms at his sides.  
"I need to go get the others. You should go if you don't want to deal with them. There probably be a lot of yelling." I nodded and left the room Jeff just behind me. Down the loud steps I turned and went to my corner. It was untouched since the last time I was there the day before.  
I grabbed a clean set of clothes that had been given to me and headed for the showers. I washed all the dirt and blood from my skin. I then got to work cleaning my clothes. I hung them to dry and went to find Chuck. The boy was in the dining hall no surprise there. He sat alone but looked uncomfortable. I grabbed a small morsel of beard and made my way to where he sat. I was greeted by a bright smile when I took up the seat across from him.  
"I was wondering if you'd ever leave that room."  
"Well, I'm out. Still hiding for the higher-ups, though." He looked down nervously.  
"Newt kept asking questions today. Said he knew and wanted to talk. So I had to acutely work, to get rid of him." I laughed the thought of Chuck acutely doing work was a strange one. I looked around and most of the higher-ups were gone. Probably to deal with Nick. I wanted to tell Chuck but figured I better not. After dinner, we stuck to walking around but Chuck left soon to tried from actual work. I remained out by the forest, it was dark and I doubted anyone could acutely see me. So I felt safe hidden away from anyone I didn't want to see me. I lay down on the grass and rested my tired legs the sore pain of my joints starting to come back. Not wanting to make the trip back across the glade I lay back in the grass struggling to keep my eyes open. Suddenly I was back in the maze, running from a geriver but getting no further. Faster and faster but still nowhere. The giant blob of fat and skin and metal come over top of me, suffocating me, killing me.  
I woke up suddenly, my clothes wet in a cold sweat. Heart racing palms sweaty. I was still out in the field by the forest. It was totally dark and the cool night air hung over me like a fog. I pulled myself to my feet and walked back to homestead quickly treading across the long distance of the land. I felt scared about ready to jump out of my skin. The feeling another geriver would somehow have made it inside. I looked at the old building it was still light on the upper floors. So was the kitchen. My doubts about anyone begin in there were great and I went inside to get some water in hopes to wash down my fear. Inside I found but one person sitting atop a table a glass in their hands. I felt relieved to realize it was Minho and no one else. I made my way to where he sat on the table.  
"Hey, Greenie." He said with a yawn "What are you doing up?" He asked  
"Can't sleep. Thought I'd get some water." I said taking up a seat beside him. He handed me the glass and allowed me to finish off the remanded of the water.  
"Why are you up?"  
"Nick." He said without any further explanation. He didn't look bothered but did seem tired.  
"Is anyone else still up?"  
"I'm betting everyone who knows. That's a limited list I hope."  
"Has Newt said anything to you?" I asked looking at something across the room.  
"He grilled me yesterday about you. Never seen him that worried should have seen his face when I told him you killed a geriver though." He said but I cut him off before he could finish  
"You told him?!"  
"I had to, he already kinda knew. Good news is he hasn't told Alby or anyone else yet." I dropped my head into my head. Why did he tell him? Now he knew and I didn't know what to do.  
"If I'm telling you the truth I think he might have a crush on you." I looked up suddenly, shooting him a stearin glare. But then I smiled from the dumb look of surprise and fake hurt he gave me.  
"What are you a fifth grader?"I said loosening up. "I'm just the dumb Greenie, that's the only reason he watches out for me."  
"I wouldn't say that. Known him a long time, I've not seen him like this. Besides you're the only girl in the whole glade is it so hard to believe that he just might have a thing for you." I looked at him with a completely straight face.  
"Yes, it is," I said before I watching him crack up.  
"You knew I would never have thought we'd be friends after the stunt you pulled to get in the maze. But after I saw you kill that geriver though, I realized I didn't want you as an enemy." I laughed, it got quiet for a moment I couldn't come up with anything to say.  
"So tell me something Greenie, is there any chance you have a thing for Newt?" I laughed again, this time, trying to hide the sudden pit that dropped into my stomach.  
"No," I said looking out the door to the dark glad. Not dare to met his disbelieving gaze.  
"You don't get to lie to me. I took you in the maze remember secret are safe."  
"Yes but the second he asked you about it you told him everything didn't you?" I said looking at him sternly suppressing a laugh.  
"Fair enough, but just tell me. We're friends after all."  
"Alright. No, I don't have a thing for him. Honestly, I think he works the boys in the field too hard and piles on the work. I think he's nice when he's not my boss and the slightest bit attractive." I said crossing my arms over my chest. He got up from the table wide smile on his face,  
"If you tell him I think you might share the same fate as that geriver." I said jumping down from the table. It felt wrong to almost gloat about the incident with the geriver but in the case it was acceptable.  
"I won't tell him anything, but I might poke some fun."  
"Bloody Shunk-face." I said I stepped down to and we walked back to homestead. He bolted up the stairs and I slowly crept past all the sleeping boys to my corner in the back. I nuzzled down in the sleeping bag, tired as ever. Thinking about my conversations with Minho I realized it was a good thing I was avoiding Newt. Things might be the slightest bit different now that I said my thoughts out loud.


	7. Fresh Start

I woke by a stern nudge and I looked up and saw Minho standing there he looked impatient and nervous.

"What's going on?" I asked sleepily looking around the still dark homestead.

"Come on. Alby wants to talk with you." I froze as I struggled to get up.

"Did he find out?" I asked

"Sorta it's a long story, though." He said and began walking me through the crowd of sleeping boys. It must have still been very early. He led me away from homestead and I got nervous where was I meeting Alby? I wanted to ask Minho questions but the tension in the air was tight and thought I better leave it alone. We came to a small but like stretched the one Chuck had identified as the mapping room. We waited outside the door and I heard talking, there were others than just Alby in there. Some sounded angry others totally furious.

"Just tell them the truth and only say something when it's asked if you. There will probably be a lot of arguing between us all. Most of us are on your side, think." He said running a hand through his jet black hair, before looking down at me.

"Ready?" He asked

"It's that bad huh?" I asked listening to the other fight.

"Could be a lot better, that's for sure. Could be worse. Come on." He said and opened the door to the hut and the others in the room fell silent. There were three boys in the room not counting Minho. Alby, Newt, and Gally. I was ushered to where they stood off to the left of the building. I was told to sit on a chair pushed against a wall. Minho took up a stop beside Newt, and as the three looked at me I felt like I was being integrated. I crossed both arms over on another and let them sit in my lap. I stood straight in the frail wooden chair, it squeaked at every shift in my weight.

"I'm guessing you have a pretty go idea why your here." Said Ably firmly.

"I have some ideas, yes," I respond with as much confidence as I could manage. He nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You've broken one of our rules, by now you must know we can't just let that go by unnoticed." He continued I didn't know what to say fear creeping is as my mind raced to all the horrible outcomes of my current and quite pressing situation.

"I know," I muttered looking at the ground.

"However." He said his words lift my almost crushed sites of hope. "You did something no one else here has ever managed to do. Tell me what happened with the geriver from the moment you saw it to when Minho found you." I said struggling looking for a straight answer. I nodded swallowed and tucked a piece of hair behind me ear.

"I had lost site of Minho when I heard how close it was, I panicked. Ran over to the nearest wall and buried myself beneath the vines. Seconds later it came around the corner, it slowly began to go by me, I prayed it would keep going. But it didn't. It scanned the area with a red light and without warning grabbed hold of my ankle dragging me from where I as hiding. It began to pull me, farther, away. It got me close enough to it, it tries to stab me with what looked like some long needle thing, I rolled out of the way. I cut it with one of the knives I had it let go and jumped to my feet and tried to run away. It grabbed me again in no time at all. I grabbed at the vines trying to pull free, it didn't work and the vine broke from the wall. This time, it didn't try to stab me just kept dragging me like it was taking me somewhere. I grabbed one of the knives I had stabbed at the arm until something broke. It let go and jumped to my feet and just tried to fight back. Stabbing and cutting at whatever I could. I had to jump away to avoid a likely painful collision with its arm. I found myself behind it and there was this flap of skin almost like a tail that hung off. It was stood out and for whatever reason I stab it. The thing let out a loud while then went limp. Not long after that Minho came around the corner and found me." I finally finished. The boys looked like they were thinking over everything I had said. Like they were trying to see if it made any sense.

"Alby no one's ever kill one of those things before, ever. How do we know she's telling the truth?" Asked a suspicious Gally I opened my Mitch to say something but was swiftly cut off by Minho.

"Because I saw myself. Dead geriver plain as day."

"Yeah but how reliable are you? After all, you thought you saw a dead geriver once before and look how that turned out." Minho stood there a dark look in his face before he lunged forward grabbing and swing his fist at Gally. Alby jumped between them shoving Minho and standing in front of Gally. Newt was holding Minho back until he calmed down.

"It was dead if bet my Shunkin life on it!" He shouted at the other boy.

"Relax Minho, Gally that was low watch yourself," Alby said the voice of reason.

"Look, I'm sure she's telling us the truth what reason does she have to lie?" Said Newt finally it was the first thing I had heard him say this whole time.

"I don't know. We can't just let her get away with breaking the rules like this. But no one else knows what happened and it will raise suspicion of the others if we throw her in the pit with it an explanation."

"Change her post." Suggested Gally. Arms folded over his chest.

"How is that any help?" Alby asked turning to face the dark haired boy.

"You put her with the builders. Hard labor should be punishment enough. Plus under my command, I guarantee she'll learn the importance of rules and respect. Something I doubt she learned picking fruit in the field." He said a cocky smile as he looked at Newt who looked quite angry.

"Shut your mouth, Gally. You talk about respect but do you have any?"

"More than you." He spat at the tall boy. Who then jumps forward angrily looking like he would gladly do what he had stopped Minho from doing. His arm was grabbed my his friend and he was held in place. He took a moment to calm down before speaking.

"What's your opinion on this?" Alby asked the blond haired boy.

"I think you should have her work with Jeff. She's good at it, bandaged Nick up well and seems to know what she's doing. While working with Jeff there will be someone to keep any eye on her and it helps Jeff likely needs."

"That ridiculous. Working with Jeff won't teach her discipline." Gally said wavering an arm in the air to make his point more pronounced.

"She's smarter than to go out there again. She's earned our trust here, done nothing but what's was asked of her since day one." Snapped Newt

"We can't just let her get away with breaking the rules because you have a crush on her." Gally barked back.

"Alright, that's enough!" Alby said rather loud. I kept my eyes on Newt though his ears turning a light red color and he ran a hand through his messy hair. Alby turned to Newt and looked him straight on. "Do you trust her?" He asked his second in command.

"Completely." He said without flinching Alby stood thinking about this for a moment.

"Alright. She starts work with Jeff today, but she will spend the rest of the morning in the pit, no breakfast." I felt relieve for what felt like the first time since I had walked in there. Minho was trying to hide a smile. He turned to me again,

"You will not break the rules again. This is hardly a punishment, you should be getting far worse." He said in a frighteningly calm tone. He turned to Newt again.

"Newt take her to the pit. Minho you stay here we're not finished yet, and Gally." He said turned to face the angry looking boy.

"Go do something else." With a huff, he walked from the building. The taller boy came up at my side and showed me to the door. Outside I still couldn't see the sun or the lighting sky. I wondered what time it was.

"How early did you guys wake up for this?"

"Never went to sleep." He said with a weak smile ad we walked the grassy plain.

"Say have you been avoiding me?" He asked catching me off guard.

"N-no." I stuttered as we came up to the stone building. I spared a quick glance at him and he was already looking at me with disbelief.

"Alright I was, but only because I was afraid of how you knew I went in the maze." He sighed and offered me a half smile.

"That's what I thought." He said as he unlocked the door to the cold stone building.

"In you go." He said swinging his arm inside the building. I looked at him not wanting to go inside. "I'm sorry but you have to." I waited another minute before stepping closer to the dark room. Slowly I stepped inside and watched the door get locking in place behind me. I expected Newt to turn away and go back to homestead to sleep. But instead, I watched him lean back against a wall and slide down it until he was sitting in the grass.

"Shouldn't you be going back to homestead to get some sleep?"

"I'm wide awake now. By the time I acutely fall asleep I'd have to wake up again." I didn't say anything after at. I didn't know what to say, I was locked in a room and he sat there with the key. But he got me a lesser punishment and by the sounds of everyone's ideas, it was likely the best.

"Thanks. For helping me out back there. I would have probably been in some pretty hot water if you hadn't." I said sliding down the wall to sit on the opposite side of the wall where Newt sat.

"You're welcome." He said and it got quiet again.

"Killing a geriver, that's incredible. If I'm being honest I think the reason Gally was being such a shuck-face was because he didn't get to do it himself." I laughed but the horrible image of the geriver still burned in my mind. Chasing me forever.

"About what Gally said in there, he's just a shank I'm sorry if any of it made you uncomfortable." He said and I felt blood bubble into the tops of my ears.

"No I-I was totally fine," I said sounding far more awkwardly happy then I wanted to.

"Oh, okay." He said sounding surprised. I dropped my head to my knees. What was happening here? After a while, the quiet grew tense like one was wait for the other to say something first. I yawned leaning my head back against the wall. I was still very tired from begin woken up early. I let my eyes fall shut and waited to hear someone talk.

"Do you think we'll ever get out of here?" He asked and my eyes shot open. The very same question I had been asking since I first got there.

"I hope so."

"I stopped hoping a long time ago."

"How long ago?"

"Two years give or take a month."

"How long have you been here?"

"Coming up on my third year." He said with a hollow laugh like it was a joke.

"How many people have died?" I asked seeking an answer I probably wouldn't get.

"Too many. I've lost count. But we can't slow down because of them. We'll mourn them after we've survived all of this." He said like it was something he lived by. The tense began to grow again and I jumped on the first question I had.

"Do you ever have weird dreams?" I asked regretting the stupid question as soon as I asked it.

"If by weird you mean seeing a tap dancing geriver then yes." I couldn't swallow my laughed, it felt nice to laugh not like the normal hollow mood I had.

"No I mean like, when you hear voices. Like a song, you can't get what they're saying out of your head."

"I can't say I have, what does this voice say?" He asked sounding like some kind of doctor.

"They just kept talking about the cliff, it is the cliff."

"What is the cliff?" He asked repeating my words.

"I don't know and that's what bothers me. It's stupid but then that's why I went in the maze."

"It's not. I can surely tell you in your current situation I would have done the same thing." I smiled.

"Thanks." It got quiet again and this time, I thought it would stay that way the tension was gone and a gentle feeling of warmth filled it place.

"You have a very nice laugh by the way." It caught me off guard.

"What?" I asked far too loudly for it to have been subtle curiosity. He cleared his throat sounding almost uncomfortable that I pressed it.

"Your laugh, it's pretty, sweet. Not like the wicked cackle you usually hear around hear." I laughed again then slapped my hand over my mouth.

"See." He said with his own chuckle.

"Well, yours isn't a cackle. It's nice, too, your laugh." Oh my god why? Why did I say that? Dropping my head into my hands I heard him laugh maybe it wasn't overly stupid.

"Smooth wasn't it?" I asked laughing to myself.

"Better than me. And likely half the other guys here." He said trying to make me feel better about my failed attempt at whatever this was. There was a call from across the field, Newt and I recognized it as Minho. He stood up and I looked at him through the barred door not bothering to get up.

"I better go see what he needs. I'll be back to let you out soon." He said, but paused as he got up and looked at me through the barred door.

"Please don't avoid me again. Things are better when you're around." I didn't get to respond before he began his jog towards Minho. With the rest of the morning left to wait, I let myself lay down and shut my eyes tight, pretending I wasn't in a cold, dark, cell-like building.

when I woke up, it was lighter and the sun was beginning to make an appearance above the walls. I groggily got up to sit, thinking about how my day might go. I heard something not too far away and turned to see Newt walking back to the pit swing the keep on his finger. As he approached the pit I quickly stood up scrambling to my feet and waiting in front of the door.

"Well, your time is up." He said unlocking the door. I wasted no time before almost jumping out. "You ready for your first day as a Med-Jack Greenie?" He asked with a smile as he tucked the key back in his pocket.

"Definitely, especially if it means leaving that shuncking place," I said looking over my shoulder as we walked away from the gray stone building.

"Here." He said handing me something wrapped in a cloth. I took it and unfolded the rag from around whatever it was he had handed me. A large bun was amounts the cloth. I looked up with a confused smile.

"I thought I wasn't getting breakfast?" I asked looking down at what was likely a very good and tasteful loaf.

"You're not." He said with an over exaggerating wink. I managed to laugh before tearing off some of the bread and plopping it in my mouth.

"Thank you," I said after I swallowed my first bite.

"You're welcome, best finish that before you run into Alby." He said scanning the grounds for the boy he named. I was led to homestead and met with Jeff before Newt left. He was overjoyed when I explained everything to him. I believe his exact words were along the lines of

"About bloody time they give me some help around here." But I knew he was glad to have a friend around, he was too social a person to be alone all day. The gladers might have been a rough bunch but the day was slow and barely anyone came in with any injuries. I spent most of my day just talking with Jeff. He gave me the low down of how everything worked and how to treat typical injuries. He said I would be learning on the job, this was far better than working in the field. Jeff and I sat on empty cots across from each other. He had me measuring out herbs and medication.

"I can't believe I got off so easily. I thought I'd get something way worse." I said quietly.

"I've asked you a million times now and I still can believe it. You're lucky you have friends in high places."

"Yeah well it was still a fight. Gally certainly doesn't like me and Alby just needs to stay neutral."

"Well, you have both Minho and Newt on your side. Newt is second in command now, you're lucky he keeps such a close eye on you."

"I'm sure he'll give up on watching me after the next Greenie comes in."

"I'm not so sure about that. He likes you, more than you've cared to see."

"Everyone keeps saying that over and over. It's like that's the only thing to talk about here, is this silly roomer."

"If enough people are saying it, it might just be true."

"Do you think that another Greenie will come up again?" I asked breaking the silence I wasn't aware had grown between us.

"Of course, I mean after Chuck the box came up with only supplies. Then it came up with you. It should be coming up in a couple of days. Not only that but it will symbolize our third year here."

"Is there any kind of celebration?" I asked with climbing curiosity. Jeff smiled,

"I hope. Last year we were given the day off. This year who knows." He explained. I finished up with the medication and put everything away.

"Jeff?!" Called a painful and sore voice. Jeff stood up and I followed him down the hall to the room where the boy, Ben was. He was laying there tugging at the restraints. Jeff walked over to him and the boy looked at him clear. No long looked sick he had healthy eyes.

"Can you unhook me?" He asked tugging on the straps again. Jeff lifted the boys shirt and looked to where he had been stung. No odd coloring nothing just a small scab from the needle mark.

"You look good to me." He said and began to undo the boys restaurants. He sat up and stretched.

"Go get something to eat, I'm sure there'll be a warm welcome for you down there." He said walking the boy from the room. I waited at the door and saw the boys confusion upon passing me.

"Wait a minute." He said and turned to face me.

"What exactly have I missed?" He said one eyebrow raised.

"Right, Ben this is (Y/N) our newest Greenie," I smiled and said hello to the dazed boy.

"The one time something acutely happens and I miss it. Who do you belong to?" He asked and my smile fades away fast.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked sounding harsher than intended.

"Sorry, I didn't mean any offense. But you're in a pit full of guys, surely one of them has shown interest." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"No, acutely they haven't," I said looking to Jeff who just shrugged and continued to walked Ben out. I walked back into the room of cots. Jeff came back in soon after. I hovered around the room doing small jobs before Jeff finally dismissed me and we headed down to dinner. I was still greatly bothered by that boy's comment. We gathered down food and I waited for Chuck to find me like he typically did. Surely enough the curly haired boy found me and Jeff and took up his seat.

"Where have you been? I almost thought you had gone in the maze again."

"What made you think I hadn't?" I asked pointing my spoon at him.

"Minho hasn't gone out today. And you're not crazy enough to go out there alone. Are you?" He asked concerned. I couldn't help but laugh.

"No, I don't think I'm that crazy."

"Maybe." Said Jeff as he sipped water from his glass and I shot him a confused look. Chuck smiled, hiding his laugh.

"But where were you?"

"Well for the morning in the pit. The rest of this morning I've been helping Jeff."

"Why were you there all day?"

"Right no one knows." Said Jeff with a smile "(Y/N)'s my new assistant." He said happily like it made him better than me.

"I think I'm more like your partner," I said shooting him a glare.

"Wow okay, so you can say I'm sick and get me out of work." Chuck beamed

"Not if I have any say in it." Correct Jeff as he looked at the boy suspiciously.

"Well, you missed Alby telling everyone about the calibration next week."

"What?" Jeff and I exaggerated confused looks.

"Three years in the glade is worth celebrating. Alby said it'll be nothing big, large fire some wrestling, also we only have to work half a day that day." He announced giddily.

"Well it's time somethings fun happened here." Was all I could think to say.


	8. Sweet Surprises

The next couple of days were better than all the ones before. Each day was something new. There were hours where we would just sit there and talk which led to Jeff and myself becoming closer.

Currently, I hung off one of cot legs hanging over the other side keeping me from falling over. Jeff fiddled with things organizing them like always. He had ways things needed to be and I seemed to put them out of order. It was the day of the so-called celebration Jeff had warned me that with a large group of boy wrestling there often comes a lot of injuries. He warned me we would likely be busy and told enjoy what little time we'd have. I remained hanging there watching the door. I felt the blood rushing to my head and I kept haveing to pull my shirt up so my stomach wasn't exposed. Soon I gave up and just let it hang with the rest of me. It was just Jeff and myself and I got the idea he didn't have an interest in girls or at the very least me. He was different from the others and I saw the way he fallowed some of the boys with his eyes.

"If I keep doing this what will happen?" I asked, hair all touching the floor. I lifted my legs keeping a tight grip on the bed with my hands as I lifted my feet.

"I'm not sure, I don't think it'll be good, though." He said casually. I was staring at my feet. Swinging them in the air and I almost felt the blood moving.

"Glad to see your both hard at work." A voice said. Catching me off guard my hands for some reason let go when I went to think of who had come in. I shouldn't have done that because the next second I was on the floor. Feeling incurably stupid, I slowly picked myself up off the floor. Rubbing my head from where it had landed. There in the doorway stood none other than Newt, it was always Newt.

"You know, you seem to have the worst timing," I said fixing the messy hair that was still sprawled around my head in a crazy fashion from the fall.

"Well at lest it's never dull." He said with a smile. "Although things look pretty slow here." He said looking over the empty room.

"I came to see how thing were, since our day is near done."

"That's right short day today." Beamed Jeff as he walked to the door.

"Most of the other have given up and finished for the day." He explained walking deeper into the room. "You two should head out soon. You'll likely be here for a long while tonight." He said before leavening the room. I walked over to where Jeff sat down again and jumped up onto the table.

"Don't knock over my stuff." He said firmly holding onto everything. As I stilled he let go and got back to work putting everything away, he checked stock everyday once in the morning and once at night.

"So, you looking forward to this event? Or whatever it's called." Asked Jeff.

"Sorta, but what is there really going to be to do?"

"Talk with your friends have a good laugh. Make some friends. Watch wrestling." He said with a sly smile.

"Maybe even Newt will wrestle. Then you'll be interested."

"Ha, that's a good laugh. I don't really picture him as the wrestling type. And it's like you think I have this thing with Newt that none existent."

"I just think you would an adorable pair." He said and I rolled my eyes. I sat there in the table swinging my legs back and forth from shear boredom. When suddenly

"Hey, guys." Called an overly happy Chuck as he waltzes in the room.

"What's up Chuck?" I said hopping down from the table.

"End of the work day. I've don't remember the last time I was this happy." He said brightly.

"Why don't you two get out of here. You've done enough nothing for today." Said Jeff almost pushing me from the room. Gladly Chuck and I left, made our way around the glade and saw the many happy gladers as they did nothing. Some ran around the place, setting things up.

"Tonight should be fun, Frypan's setting up a huge fest. Large fire."

"Let me guess you're looking forward to the food."

"Of course. That and the day off work." He beamed looking up at me. We spent the rest of that day around the glade. We stopped by the kitchen where Frypan was frantically rushing around his forehead beaded with sweat. He kindly said an hello but rushed around not stopping for a second. He said we either help out or leave, it was nice and not offensive as it sounded. By the time the sun finally set things began to liven up. A couple boys were struggling to set up the large bon fire that had been promised. Dinner was served before the boys made any progress. A large meal of the freshest of foods in the glade. Ably had found his way through the crowed and sat with Newt a few tables over. Both surrounded by boys. Ever since they took charge they hardly ate with the rest of us. After dinner Frypan made a group of boy clean up and refused to step in the kitchen until tomorrow. We all went outside and watched as the bonfire was stack and once everyone was there, Alby made a speech. He stood in front of the pile of wood doused in something flammable. He held a long torch and kept it a fair distance from the fire.

"I know you're all just wanting to have fun so I'll make this short. I've survived three years in this place along with many of you. Now I know you've not all been here for the same amount of time, but whether you've been here a whole three years, or you just got here. It doesn't mater." He said glancing in my direction. "We're all stuck in this together, we will fight together. Now I know we've lost many along the way, I'm sure we'll lose many more before whatever this is, is finally over. So here's to those we've lost, to all those we will lose. And to all of you. We've made it this far, let's see how far we can go." And with that he tossed the torch into the tall stack of sticks and dried plant life. It lite a flame almost immediately and the group went nuts, shouting and yelling. All house around me erupted into shouts of joy and honer. Even Chuck was shouting and I couldn't help but join in. The shouting went on for far longer than I thought it would but I felt strong and powerful. That we were showing we could survive that we had survived. Soon things died down but it got no quieter. Everyone talking with everyone laughing and enjoying themselves, I had never seen the glade so energetic and happy. Most stood near the fire laughing with their friends, I even saw Gally crack a smile. Chuck and myself stayed near the fire spoke with a couple other gladers. Minho came along soon.

"Hey guys." He said with a great smile and cut lip.

"What happened to you?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest. He laughed and looked over his shoulder.

"Wrestling with Gally," He said "Don't worry I kicked that Shanks butt." He said with a cocky smile. Alby soon made his way through the crowed to where our small group stood.

"Evening." He said with a smile.

"Hey Alby, Have you finally slowed down to enjoy yourself?" Asked Minho.

"Enough to realize how crazy everyone here really is." He said with a sigh.

"You're off planing all the time you don't have time to stop and smell the testosterone," Minho said with a laugh. Chuck and myself laughed with him and even Alby shared a chuckle.

"Well with (Y/N) here as our only exception."

"Yeah, but she's got guts. More than most of the guys here." He said and I looked at him with a small smile as in thanking him.

"Hey Minho who's leading I'm wrestling right now?" Asked Chuck

"I think Gally."

"He is. Gally might be uptight but he's a good shuckin fighter, if anything else." Add Alby.

"I've not seen any fighting yet tonight. One of the things I was looking forward to." He said with a devilish smile.

"(Y/N), you haven't seen a fight yet either, come on." Said Minho as he and Chuck started away.

"I'll be there in a minute." I said smiling I wanted to talk to Ably. Once they were gone I turned to face the other boy.

"I wanted to thank you. You let me off pretty easy a couple days back." I said and he nodded.

"No ones ever done what you have before. I figured that entitlement you to a bit of respect."

"But what are the chances? Me the only girl here, kills a geriver." I whispered the last part to make sure no one else heard since it had stayed among a small group of people. He tends up and looked at the fire.

"I think somethings going to change soon. You might just be the being of whatever's coming. Killing a geriver, people getting stung in daylight. It's never happened before."

It got quiet after that we looked around at the other gladers happily shouting and talking.

"Why don't you go find Chuck and Minho. I'm going to go talk to some others." He said besides giving me a brief smile before walking off. I stood there for a moment longer before I thought to go find my other friends.

"What are you doing here alone?" A familiar voice and I smiled turning to see Newt.

"Chuck and Minho are somewhere off in the crowd, watching a fight I believe. So I'm sorta friendless." I told him crossing my arms over my chest.

"Well don't fret I'm here now." He said with a smirk as he came to stand in front of me. I almost had to looked up at him until I took a step back.

"This is nice. Everyone just talking having fun." He said looking around the lively glade.

"It's is. I never thought this place could be fun." I said

"Wait until you see a fight the energy is unreal. Come on I'll show you." He said and grabbed my hand and dragged my through the crowed. Once near the fighting area I could see what he meant. They boys were all crammed tighter around a rectangular space, shouting and screaming. There in the surrounded area was Gally and some other poor glader running around pushing and fighting.

"It's a riot!" I said almost shouting to be heard over the others.

"You have no idea." He said I striated to see over the others but watched as Gally got the other boy thrown out of the rectangle and into a couple boys. They all went nuts.

"(Y/N)!" Shouted a small voice I looked over and saw Chuck pushing his way towards me. I smile and waved him over. He managed to get through the crowed to where we stood.

"What going on?" He asked looking at my hand which I hadn't noticed was still held by Newts. He quickly let go and shoved his hand in his pocket looking away.

"Nothing," I said quickly brushing it off. "This is really intense." I said watching the two boy shove one another around.

"No kidding you should have seen one guy, landed on his face. Nose and mouth all bloody, and they just kept cheering him." I laughed then thought about Jeff. My job.

"Oh god, Jeffs probably swarmed. I should go help." I said looking to homestead.

"The nights barely begun. At lest see one fight thought." Argued Newt I liked around then back to Newt deep brown eyes.

"Fine, a little longer. I'll come back once I've seen everything's alright." I reassured him.

"But you don't know how long that will take." He said and I smiled shook it off then continued to watched the fight. Without warning just as I turned around one of the boys was tossed in our direction. Knocking over a couple boys in front of me. Gally stood there above the boy, smiling, panting.

"Wanna come in for around Greenie?" He asked and I scoffed.

"Something tells me that a bad idea." I told him.

"I promise, I'll go easy on you. Every Greenie fights at least once." He said still slightly out of berth.

"I think I'll pass." I said as the boy in front of me got up but kept falling over. Newt jumped forward and grabbed the boys arm.

"Best get you to homestead." He said helping the boy stand straight. I grabbed his other arm and helping him with the boy.

"I'll get you in here at some point." He said

"I'm sure you will," I shouted back carrying the injured boy.

Newt and I managed to drag the injured by back to homestead. Jeff was already there as I suspected there tending to a wounded boy, but only one.

"There you are." He said as he wrapped the boys ankle. "I was starting to wonder when you'd show up."

"Well, I'm here, where do you want me?" I asked helping the boy to a spear cot.

"Why don't you help the guy you just brought in." He said as he struggled to wrap the boys ankle. I nodded having totally forgotten about Newt, I grabbed some cloth and water to clean away the blood.

"Do you need help?" A kind voice asked I turned and looked at my friend. I smiled at his kind offer.

"I can handle this, go back and enjoy the party." He gave a half smile then headed out. I watched him leave and only turned back to the bleeding boy when he gave a moan of pain. I cleaned all the by away and out a bandage on the side of the boys nose because it was likely broken, or close to it. He seemed to be fine after Jeff gave him something to lessen the pain he nodded off. Another boy came in not long after. Burns on his bands that had blistered and popped. Jeff gave me a shrugged and tossed my some bandage. I wrapped his hands and sent him on his way. A couple other boys came in with injures tending to all of them took up more time and we thought and Jeff was angry he was missing the celebration for this.

"I need to talk with Gally after this. He's pretty much ruined my night."

"Along with everyone who's come in here." I reminded.

"Yes, but they got themselves beat up by choice. You and I are stuck here because it's our jobs." He ranted on as he put away more bandage. He looked out the window to where the celebration was still going on.

"The wrestling seems to have finished. There aren't as many boys out there." He said taking a seat on one of the cots.

"You should go. Enjoy one day here." He said looking over at me.

"You sure?" I asked

"Of course. This just means I'll work you a little harder tomorrow, though." He said adjusting his shirt. I stood up and headed for the door but not before thanking Jeff. I got to the bottom of the stairs and saw a few gladers still milling about. The fire was getting low however and probably meant it would be over soon. I wondered through the dark until I reached the fire. It wasn't nearly as high as it had been a few hours ago.

"(Y/N)." A friendly voice called and off to my right was Chuck, Newt and Minho sitting on a log by the fire. Chuck had his back to the fire and sat on the ground to face the other two.

"Jeff finally let you go?" Asked Minho

"Yeah, seems as though the injury rate has gone down for the night." I looked at the boy and Minho looked worse than from the last time I saw him and even Newt had a bruised cheek.

"What did I miss?" I asked settling down in the grass beside Chuck.

"Minho and Newt both got the knuckle kicked out of them by Gally." Chuck laughed looking at the boys. They both shot annoyed looks at Chuck who just smiled like a fiend.

"Why did you go telling her that?" Asked Newt

"Why not tell her?" The boy just shook his head and smiled at me.

"I've seen worse wounds than that you're lucky," I told them pointing to Minho swollen eye. We talked for a little while longer, it was a nice warm atmosphere. Light conversations, lots of laughs. For the first time upon my arrival there I was happy to be there among friends. Soon Chuck left to tired to continue. Minho fallowed not long after that and I took his spot on the log. Looking around the glade I saw not many people there, none as a matter of fact. Perhaps one or two gladers still wondering around the kitchen for scraps.

"This has been nice," I said looking around happily.

"It has, one of the better memories I'll have of this place." He said with a gentle smile. I glanced over at him, the fire cast shadows on his face making his fetchers bolded. Blond hair looked gold and his soft smile made me happier than anything else had that night.

"You haven't by chance heard any of the boys saying anything about, um, us have you?"

"A little, mostly from Jeff and Chuck. Saying you have a thing for me and me for you. But that's them spreading rumors."

"Well for it to be a rumor, it would have to be a lie." He said trailing off.

"And it's not?" I asked quietly like someone trying not to scare off an animal.

"Partly." He said looking over but the second he met my eyes he looked away fast.

"I like you, a little more than I'd care to admit." I didn't say anything but I just smiled gently and waited to see if he's met my eyes again. Slowly he did, and for a moment we just started at each other. He suddenly leaned forward when a loud clang sounded from the kitchen and it echoed through the glade. We both and jump slightly and now looked in the direction from where the sound had come.

"We should get going to bed." He said standing up one hand on his neck. I did the but didn't say anything just nodded. I was about to start walking back when he turned me to face him quick and kissed me. It was quick and by the time it had ended I was still realizing it myself.

"Good night." He said then began to walk off. I remained there stunted for a moment.


	9. The Price of Knowlage

**Fight for your memories.**

 **The good and the bad.**

 **They're all important,**

 **They mean everything.**

The next day I woke up to Jeff shoving me.

"You're late," He said hands on his hips looking down at me. I rolled onto my side and looked at him through squinted eyes.

"Good morning to you too." I Groaned getting up from where I slept in the sleeping bag. I dig through my things until I found my sweater like shirt and slipped it over my head. I started toward the stairs to the med-jacks area but Jeff started the other way.

"You can get something to eat. I'm not that cruel." He said walked toward the kitchen. I was still half asleep as I gathered my food. Jeff grabbed a few things and we took a seat. The kitchen was quiet and almost empty. A few other Gladers and Frypan's men were the only others there. One of those few Gladers happened to be none other than Newt. He took a seat beside me a little closer than normal.

"What are you two doing up so early?" He said with a smile.

"Lots of work to do, all thanks to Gally." Complained Jeff as he finished off some food. Newt managed a laugh as he ran one hand through his hair. I turned to see his cheek heavily bruised no doubt from the fighting of the previous night. When he noticed I was looking at him he turned and smirked, one eyebrow raised.

"What happened to your cheek," I said quickly even though I already knew.

"Same thing that happened to everyone else." He laughed.

"You're all a bunch of shanks. Getting yourselves beaten and making my day harder." Ranted Jeff he pointed around with his long hands making his point more pronounced. I just watched him with amusement. He finished off his food then stood up quick.

"Speaking of jobs, we should head to ours. Go deal with the bloodied up boys we left their last night." I nodded and stood.

When we got there Jeff wasted no time to work on the boy from the previous night with the very bloody nose.

He pulled the bandage from around the boys nose. Inspected the large purple and yellow bruises that went all the way to his eyes. The boy complained and pulled away as Jeff ruffly felt the nose.

"Yeah, it's broken. Like I thought. Good news is the swelling went down." He said with a half-hearted fake smile and stood up.

"Can you look at the kid with the hands, I'll take this nose or well lack of nose," He said with a laughed. I looked at him totally shocked by his comment with the boy standing right there.

"That's my kind of humor. Accept it or move on." He said just missing a sassy finger snap. He went to gather some bandages from the spot where they were normally piled. I smiled at the boy who held his bandaged hand out in front of him. Made my way over there to take care of him. Slowly I unwrapped it and saw a partly clear partly yellow fluid leaked all over the bandages.

"I never asked how this happened?" I said getting something to clean the wound.

"Let's just say I was being a dumb shank and got to close to the fire," He said wincing as I cleaned the exposed skin. I grabbed a few gaze to place over the exposes blister that had pretty much ripped open and loose skin hung on his hand over a red and pink flesh. I started to wrap it up again and he questioned me.

"Aren't you going to get rid of the extra skin?"

"No, it's better to leave it and allow there to be something protecting the skin underneath while it heals. It's a large blister so once it's healed a little more come back and I'll clip the extra skin." I said tying it in place. He thanked me then hurried back to work, I recognized the boy from the fields. Jeff has given the boy something for the pain he had been complaining about since we had gotten there and sent him on his way. Others slowly made their way in throughout the day. Admitting their injuries hurt a little more than they'd like. Mostly sprained ankles or wrists a few bruised ribs. We were sending boys in and out all day. To my surprise, even Gally came in.

"Ah, there he is. I was starting to think you'd never come in." Teased Jeff who was still wrapping the ankle of someone else.

"I didn't need to come you know. Alby made me."

"And why'd he do that?" I asked putting away some things before walking over to him.

"I complained once about begin sore. He's an uptight Shunk-face." He said crossing his arms over his chest still standing near the door.

"Well come sit down, tell me what's bothering you," I said. He rolled his eyes and took a seat on one of the cots.

"It's nothing, just that my chest hurts," He said trying to hide a wince as he sat down.

"Lift up your shirt." I said and with a sigh he complied. There along his rib cage were many purple and red bruises. His skin a sold bruise all along the left side. I touched the area and he winced and swore under his berth.

"You've likely bruised a couple ribs maybe even broken one. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to wrap your rib cage in bandage to keep things in place. That's going to hurt." I said and he let go of his shirt. He looked unimpressed but didn't say otherwise as I gathered the bandage. He winces when I began wrapping his side and he tried to hide how much it hurt. When I finished he straightened himself and didn't say anything.

"Is there anything else bothering you?" I asked when he didn't get up to leave. He shook his head.

"No, I'm fine." He stood up and started for the door.

"What about that cut on your arm?" I asked seeing the poorly wrapped wound on his forearm.

"It's nothing. I've taken care of it." He said brushing me off.

"Well that cloth doesn't look particularly clean, it could get infected," I warned.

"I'm fine," He said again seeming as though he wanted nothing more than to be rid of me.

"Sit down Gally." I said and he turned around and looked surprised I dare spoke to him that way. When he didn't say anything and didn't come back in Jeff spoke.

"Just sit down Gally. She's helping you." Gally then sat down on the cot and I unwrapped his arm. The cut was on the underside of the wound and he probably couldn't see that it has rubble in it. I grabbed some water a cloth and the burning liquid that stopped infection. I cleaned out his wound wrapped it properly and allowed him on his way. Even got as much as a thank you. By the time the other were finishing with work we had cleared most of the boys. Jeff and I now sat talking to one another on while sitting on the cots. Things were finally quiet but like always it didn't stay that way. Suddenly there was shouting from outside. Surprised I got up and went to the window to see a crowd of boys gathering by one of the doors to the maze. My mind immediately jumped to the worst and I couldn't stop myself from sprinting out of the room. I jumped down the stairs two, three at a time and nearly had a thought to jump the railing near the bottom. But given my history, it would end poorly. Jeff wasn't far behind me. Out onto the field, I saw the crowd getting bigger everyone just stand shouting. When I finally broke the line of boys I saw what was happening. Minho wasn't far away and he was dragging Ben with him. I was about to run in to help him when someone suddenly caught my arm. I turned and saw Newt with a firm grip. I shot him a confused look.

"Can't go in the maze, remember? It's against the rules." I nodded after realizing he was right. I stood next to him and grabbed his arm. The doors would be closeting any minute now.

"Was he stung?" I asked in more of a whisper to Newt than anyone else.

"I don't know," He told me taking my worried hand in his. I felt the rumble of the walls and my heart speed up faster than I thought possible. He was close, so close. The alarm went off and then they started to rumble shut.

"Come on Minho, You can make it!" Shouted Alby and suddenly all the others started shouting too. I couldn't find my voice, my heart racing in my ear. Minho was probably one of my closest friend next to Chuck, like an annoying older brother. I grip Newt's hand so hard it must have hurt. The walls were getting closer and closer to closing, he was only meters away. Then once he reached the thick point where the doors met, the boys wasted no time and grabbed him dragging him and Ben inside. Seconds later the rumbled to a close. There were shouts and cheers as the boys were dragged in. Jeff jumped forward to help Ben who seemed sickly. I took a moment to take the breath, I didn't realize I had been holding. I looked up at Newt who shared the exact same look of relief that I did. Jeff called me and I pulled my hand free of Newts and went to help. I knelt down by Ben who was just looking blankly at the sky. His skin all sweaty.

"What happened? Was he stung?" Jeff asked Minho.

"No, he just started freaking out. Then like spaced out." I tried asking Ben if he could hear me, or if he way okay and he didn't say anything. I asked him to follow my finger as I moved it back and forth in front of his eyes, he didn't.

"I think he's in shock." Said Jeff.

"He's not responding and is very tense. Seems like it."

"Newt, Minho, help us get him to homestead." Barked Jeff and without flutter, the boys jumped to help Ben. Jeff and I were on their heels until we got to homestead. Jeff injected Ben with some herbs that should help calm him down. The two of us took turns watching and waiting for him to come out of it. Jeff had gone and it was my shift, I sat there and tossed a ball of the bandage in the air. Bored as ever when I heard something. At first, I mistook it for Ben's loud berthing but then I heard he was saying something. I learned cautiously closer and made out the airy words.

"W.I.C.K.E.D is good." Was all he muttered. I sat there confused thinking I had seen or heard the word somewhere else. I was thinking running it over in my mind and the answer was on the tip of my tongue. Suddenly my train of thought was broken when Minho walked into the room and greeted me.

"What's up?" he asked as the threw himself down on one of the empty cots.

"Nothing," I answered standing up and putting away the ball of bandage.

"Hey toss me that." He said as I wrapped it's grey-white bandage tighter around it. I looked at him confused and threw the bandage to him. He did what I had been and tossed it around. For the next little while, we tossed the ball back and forth and discussed idle things. Then Ben spoke again. Minho stopped before he tossed the ball again and leaned in to heard what he was saying as I had.

"What did he say?" I asked

"W.I.C.K.E.D is good." He said confused. "That's what's written on the walls in the maze." He said looking down at his fellow runner.

"I knew I recognized it," I said proudly

"It's all over the maze. Each letter means something, world in something, kill zone, something-something. I can't quite remember it all."

"That sounds cheery," I said as the bandage ball was thrown to me.

"I'll take a look when I got out tomorrow."

"Let me come with you." Minho nearly fell off the cot when I said that the ball flew right past him.

"I don't know if you remember but, we got in major trouble last time. And I doubt they'll be so nice the second time around." He said picked and the ball up from the floor.

"What if we asked this time? Came up with a real legitimate reason for you to take me." He laughed and tossed the ball up into the air before batting it to me.

"Not happening. No way. Not only did Alby chew me out but Newt put me through the ringer. I take you out there again and he'll be looking for blood." I sighed holding onto the ball a little longer not throwing it back.

"Just think about it," I said thinking as I turned the ball around in my hands.

"I will if you toss the ball back." He said and with a smile, I threw the makeshift ball of bandages. It wasn't long after that that Jeff came and sent me to my sleeping area for the night. I walked down the rickety stairs with Minho and questioned where Chuck had been. He told me the boy had spent his time after dinner with Newt and went to bed early. I hadn't really pictured Chuck as friends with anyone else besides Minho and myself. I suppose I had forgotten he was here before I was.

I made my way to the sleeping area and Minho said he was going to get something to eat before he went back upstairs to his own room. Keepers has more privileges than the rest of us. I settled down into my bed but what Ben had said rolled around in my mind. W.I.C.K.E.D is good. What did that mean?

 **There not!**

 **They've been lying to us for years!**

 **We need to end this before it's too late.**

 **(Y/N), W.I.C.K.E.D is not good.**

I woke up in the homestead on one of the cots in the sick room. I fell asleep there after Jeff had woken me to watch over Ben for the rest night. I hadn't slept much and when I was woken by Jeff I was less than pleased to take watch. Life as a Med-Jack might have been less work than that of a track-hoe but it had more responsibility. I got up and stretched my sore limbs from having slept on them and straightened out the bed. I combed my fingers through my tangled hair. I walked over to Ben to see how he was doing, to my surprise he was asleep. He must have come out of shock and fallen asleep. I felt his forehead and it was normal. I stepped away and walked to the window and the words ran through my head again.

W.I.C.K.E.D is not good.

What did that mean? I saw Minho jogging toward the kitchen headed for breakfast likely before he headed into the maze. I watched Jeff as he came toward the building and I wasted no time before running from the room.

"Where are you going?" Jeff asked me as he grabbed my arm.

"I need to go talk to Minho. Ben's asleep, I'll be back soon." I said and he let go of my arm and threw both hands up into the air as he ran walked into Homestead. I ran into the kitchen and saw Minho as he sat down at a table, I ran over and jumped into the seat across from him.

"What's your rush?" He asked confused as he shoved food into his mouth.

"I need you to take me into the maze again." He didn't look surprised just annoyed.

"I thought we talk about this?"

"And we agreed you'd think about it."

"You're crazy. I'm can't just break the rules and take you into the maze again. Otherwise, we'll both be thrown off the cliff."

"Okay, but Alby should be up. Let's talk to him."

"How are you going to convince him? He already made it very clear you can't go back in."

"Well, you don't have a partner and..." I paused thinking about the dream.

"And?"

"And I think I know who put us here." He stopped eating and stared at me with wide eyes.

"Did you just say what I think you said." I didn't say anything just looked at him.

"Who?"

"I can't be sure, not until I go onto the maze again." He ran a hand through his hair.

"Fine, let's go talk to Alby."

Relieved and desperate for answers I sprung up and waited for him to do the same. He stuffed some food into his mouth then we headed out. Alby was nowhere in sight so we headed to the mapping room. Sure enough, he was in there arguing with Gally. When we walked in they stopped looked at us then Gally walked out nearly shoving me to get past.

"What's his problem?" I asked walking deeper into the room. Alby just closed his eyes and shrugged.

"I wish I could tell you. Why are you two here?" He asked looking unimpressed. I looked to Minho who just looked at me and shrugged. With a sigh, I turned and looked to Alby. As he walked across the room.

"I think I can find out who put us here." He stopped mid stride and turned very slowly to look at me.

"What?" He asked. I had never seen anyone look so serious ever. This was no joking matter and for him and the others, it must have struck deep.

"I need to go in the maze again. There's this-" he put a hand up to cut me off.

"Stop right there Greenie. You know just as well as I do we can't do that. There's more than one person who would lose their minds if I let you go out there."

"Name one."

"I can name three. Chuck, Newt and Jeff. Believe it or not but you're liked around here."

"Might be because she's the only girl." Said Minho who finally chimed in. I shot him an annoyed glare then turned back to Alby.

"But common, Alby. Minho doesn't have a partner, I've been in there before and can have his back. With everything that's been happening with the grivers lately, he could use an extra pair of eyes out there. Please, I just want to see one thing and prove or disprove an idea. We won't be out for long at all." He looked down and sighed then looked to Minho who then took a turn to speak.

"She's not wrong." He said with a sigh.

"We could say I'm going in as Minho's medical rep because he wasn't feeling well and was too stubborn to not go." I offered with a smile.

"You know I'm actually feeling kind of dizzy today. Every since the fight at the bonfire." He said and Alby only smiled at his persistence.

"Fine. That's what we'll tell people. But only tell them if they see you. Otherwise, no one finds out."

"Deal," I said and Minho nodded and agreed to the same. We waited in the room for a little longer when suddenly,

"What are you still doing here? Go before the others find out." He said quite sternly and without further hesitation, Minho and I left the room and headed for the storage shed. He tossed me the same pack as last time. Said he has just thrown it in there, knife and everything. It was still layered with dried blood. We jogged out to the door to the maze and looked around for a second before heading in.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Minho asked me as I adjusted the pack.

"Of course. I'm smart so don't worry."

"You don't have to be smart, you just gotta be fast." He said and we took off into the maze. After a while, Minho put an arm out to stop me. We had been out there all day, stopped once around noon, and had been running for a while.

"Here, the lettering thing." He said pointing up to the vine-covered wall. I stepped forward panting with burning lungs. This is what I was there for. I pulled back the curtain of vines and watched as the words carved into the bleak grey stone became visible.

World

 **In**

 **Catastrophe**

 **Killzone**

 **Experiment**

 **Department**

The words engraved on my mind. Something about them felt familiar, this was the answer the one I was seeking.

"Creepy huh?" Minho asked breaking my gaze of awe at the wall.

"This is it. This is what I was looking for." I said stepping back and looking at my dark haired friend.

"So what you think this, W.I.C.K.E.D put us here?" I nodded several times.

"I can't be sure but I think so. It's written on the walls. The ones that keep us here I bet if we look hard enough it's on things places too."

"Okay, but why would they put us here." I pointed back up at the wall.

"World in catastrophe," I quoted "That doesn't sound very good. My first guess would be for our protection but, killzone and experiment, don't sound like this has the best of intentions."

"Alright but what about what Ben said? The whole, W.I.C.K.E.D is good.?" He asked confused

"I don't know but I have a bad feeling about this." He nodded and stared up at the wall again. Wondering at the big grey letters and the mysterious meaning behind them.

"Okay, let's head back. This isn't rock solid but it's something, more than we've had in a long time." I nodded and we started into a jog again back toward the Glade. A couple minutes in we heard a noise and stopped. A noise I had heard many time before. My heart stopped at the terrifying sound. I lost all breath and my leg were glued in place. Minho grabbed my arm and pulled me forward because I couldn't will myself to move. We took off running and I couldn't berth, air caught in my lungs.

"Once we're close enough to the Glade it will stop chasing us." He shouted through panicked berthing. We weren't nearly close enough to the glad to make it back. The sound of the mechanical monster was getting closer. As we ran through the maze of stone I heard the noise shift from behind us to in front. I grabbed a handful of Minho's sweaty shirt and pulled him to stop.

"What are you doing!" He shouted looking crazed and worried.

"It's isn't behind us anymore!" I shouted barely able to speak as I fought for breath. But when we stopped and listen there was a single clicking noise then it stopped. It was dead quiet the only thing we could hear was our panting.

"Is it gone?" I asked looking around scared.

"I think so." He said. We started back for the maze my heart rate starting to calm. Then before I knew what was happening Minho was on the ground, pinned there by something huge. He was shouting and screaming.

"(Y/N)! Help me!" He shouted, "Get this thing off me!" Studded in the moment I looked around. I grabbed a piece of rubble I saw and tossed it as hard as I could at the thing. It shrieked and let go of Minho who then scrambled to his feet. The monstrous mass slugged toward me.

"Go left then right!" He shouted and without think, I did as he said and took off running down a long hall of stone. The Griver was close behind me I heard its metallic claws scraping the stone. I barely made the turn left sliding and pushing myself up from the ground quick and running the direction I had been told. I wasn't sure where I would lead me but the sound of the monster was all I could hear. Suddenly I was joined by Minho on my right. He easily outran me. I didn't know where we were going but I didn't care the Griver followed and was getting farther behind us. Then the sound almost faded away. Minho started to slow down but I kept running.

"It's not gone," I said and grabbed his sleeve to keep him going. I felt fear each time there was a small shift of rubble or dirt, my heart pounding in my chest. Minho had slowed a little together with the fear the running was becoming too much. I had finally managed to catch up to him as we were getting closer to the Glad when I heard the clicking again and as we came up on the corner it grew louder. I shoved Minho forward as the giant body of fat and metal lashed out at him. Metal arms brushed past Minho and pinned me down; the Grivers heavily squishy body crushed me. It was hard to breathe and I couldn't move. I was shouting and kicked feeling for anything I could get hold of. I pulled and tugged at the metal arms pinning me down as the thing yowled in my face. It brought up its large needle tail and I fear slowly petrify me. I fought it and as the thing lifted to hit me I rolled out of the way the sharp needle slashed into the ground beside me. I scrambled to my feet and the thing lashed out at me again, this time, grazing my leg. It had scratched me but not infected me. I ran to Minho who had been shouting and throwing things in an attempt to aid me. The two of us took off running and it wasn't until we were out of the section and back to the main maze outside the Glade that we finally dared to slow down. We stopped and I nearly dropped to the ground. Berthing so hard it hurt; clinging tightly to the wall to keep myself upright.

"Are you okay!" Minho asked panicked.

"Fine." Was all I could say as I tried to catch a normal heart rate.

"I am never coming back in here again!" I shouted loudly standing up fully. Minho laughed and we began walking.

"You saved my butt back there." He said gently and I looked over at him and for the first time I saw a look of true meaning in his eyes. "Thanks." He said and it was the first sincere thing he'd probably ever said to me.

"You're welcome." I said bring a hand up to my head feeling dizzy. I put a hand to the nearest wall to steady myself, things were getting blurry. I heard something from Minho but I couldn't make it out. An overpowering ringing filled my ears. The next thing I knew I felt the hard impact of the cold ground.


	10. Pains of the Past

It was like watching a recording. A documentary about me, about me before. It started with me standing in a boardroom of sorts. I stood close to the door next to a woman who looked very intently at the head of the table. Looking at a woman in the same white clothes as everyone else. She had blond red hair tied back into a tight bun. Her skin looked tight as she began to speak. Her voice smooth and confident like she had done this a million times. She seemed to be speaking forever but I didn't hear anything she was saying until the end of her speech.

"I'd like you all to remember, W.I.C.K.E.D is good." Everyone in the room jumped to their feet and were quickly rushed from the room. I watched my younger self be swept away with the crowed. Young and afraid big eyes filled with worry.

Next, I watch myself at a table with others. My friends from the Glade but there were faces among those I didn't recognize. Everyone was laughing and joke all with smiles on their faces. But then it was like someone had hit a fast forward button and things began to skip ahead. Slowly one person at a time the large and happy group got smaller. Smiles began to fade until everyone was gone. Everyone but me. As time went by I watched myself get older, more alone as my friends left. As they were taken to the maze. Sitting alone I looked around and caught sight of a man loitering near a door. I felt scared and afraid of the way he remained there, watching. I was joined by someone else after what felt like forever. A dark haired boy I didn't recognize from the Glade but he spared me a sad smile. I knew he was my friend and there was something that led me to believe we were close but before I could think about it any further I was torn from that time and into another memory.

I was in a dark room that was illuminated by tall pillars of comparator parts that lit up in different colors of green and blue. A feeling of fright and worry came over me as I watched the boy from eailer run about the room.

"You got to listen, we don't have much time. They'll be preparing you to go soon." He said looking as worried as I felt at that moment.

"Whats going on?" I asked voice slick and calm unlike I had herd before. Unconnected in away.

"I know what they're planning, I got into the deep files. It's not good, lord (Y/N) it's really not good."

"What is it?."

"They want to make a cure but…but not how we thought. We're not helping to make the cure, we are the cure." he looked like he was going to be sick and had to swallow his own words before going on. "They want to dissect our brains after this," He said waving one hand through the air.

"After the maze, after the scorch, all of it. When it ends we end, and the worst part is we won't even know it." I felt a stunned feeling take over and flood my body as a pit opened in my stomach.

"No, no that can't be true. After everything thats happened, after everything thats going to happen. They can't just kill us. W.I.C.K.E.D is good." I said sounding lost and desperate for something I shouldn't have been holding onto.

"There not! They've been lying to us for years! We need to end this before it's too late. (Y/N) W.I.C.K.E.D is not good." He passed and looked toward the door where we had come in.

"Look," He said taking hold of both my shoulders to make me looked at him with frightened eyes. "You're going in tomorrow. If you can get them out before Tresses or I even come in we might be able to stop the inevitable." Everything was swollen in my mind at once all this information my younger self had I was still lost to.

"How?"

"The cliff. You know that. If you can get everyone out and through the door, before they take you out I can do everything I can to help you from this end." There was a loud sliding noise and suddenly the memories were gone and it shifted into another. This one held a heavyweight that made my younger self sick like I was waiting for something terrible to happen. I was in a small white room and clothes were set on a table before me. The clothes I wore in the Glade. I picked them up and was about to starting to undressing when suddenly the door to the room slid open and a man walked in. He was a tall lean man with pointed features. With his presents, a great unconfetableness came over me. Janson, his name came to mind along with serval other crude names for him.

"What do you want Janson?" I asked sounding far from myself voice stick and firm. But I felt the pit drop into my stomach with great fear that seemed to hang with this man's name and presents.

"I need to speak with you, I'd rather do it in privet." He said his face held an unreadable looked with no emotion or hint to where this conversion would end.

"I need to change so can this wait until after?"

"No. But you do need to change," He said nodding toward the clothes I had since set down. "Get dressed." He ordered

"Not until you leave the room," I growled but he refused to leave. I stood there looking at him not daring to let him win this sick little game he so enjoyed playing.

"What do you want?" I asked again waiting for him to talk. There was a loud beep overhead as a speaker turned on

"Subject please change into the aproperet clothing given to you." Said the voice.

"Not until this man is removed from the room," I said pointing to Janson.

"He will not, please contuse or we will be forced to have someone assist you." Angrily I glared at the man who just beamed at the fact that he once again proved superior. I angrily snatched up cloths and requested he turn around, he didn't. So I did; keeping my back to him while I pulled off my white W.I.C.K.E.D shirt.

"You're not a little girl anymore." He said and I felt my skin crawl with his comment, his gaze slithered up and down me, my hands were shaking. I was so scared.

"You've become so much stronger, among other things." He said with a sneer, I bit my tough and my breath came out ragged and angry.

"I know you and subject A1 have a plan. It won't work. Once your memories are gone you'll have no recollection of anything that happened before your time in the maze."

"But I'm not long term, we both know of that," I said adjusting the new shirt and trying up my hair. "What happens when I come back? When my memories are returned and I am once again aware if everything happening here."

"You see we've stumbled upon something quite useful in the world of memory removal and recovery. Since all your memories are stored here over the duration of your time in the maze we can alter which of these memories are returned to you and which will remain in our…..safe keeping." He said with a sick smile as he knew what this meant, as did I. I turned suddenly to face him.

"So what your saying is, I won't remember anything you don't want me to." His smiled remained as if this sufficed as an answer.

"Dose that included everything you've done? Will I remember any of that?" I asked, this time, the strength in my voice cracked. As if choking back a painful thought.

"Isn't it better that way?" He asked simply. I felt a great angry swell in my chest and the want to attack him. This man had done something, something afoul. I just didn't know what. The man walked from the room without another word and I was left alone again. For the first time since this started my mind went dark

 **AN: So here's an update, might take some time for the next one but I will do my best to update soon. I'm trying to balance both of my stories which I love dearly. I also have a small Newt POV I forgot about and am debating about posting it. Please comment your thoughts, I love the feedback. You're all super great!**


	11. After Math

The light was blinding, even in the dim room. My arms and legs both strapped down to an overly familiar cot. My wrists ached and my head pounded. I looked around the empty room, I had never seen it from this angle.

"Jeff." I called my voice came out as a harsh croak. I doubt he could hear me even if he was just in the next room.

"Jeff!" I called this time my voice cut through the thin walls. I heard a loud crash followed by panicked and rushed movement. I watched as the door was thrown open and Jeff spilled into the room. His face was in total and complete shock.

"You're awake." He said sounding dumbfounded.

"Yeah, wanna come help me out?" I asked tugging on the restraints. He nodded quickly and scrambled into the room and began undoing the straps around my ankles and wrist. I sat up rubbing the raw and reddened skin of my arms. I winced as the simple movement made my head swim.

"How long have I been out?"

"Two weeks." Jeff told me, he still look amazed I was awake. Looking at me like I was a ghost.

"What happened?" I asked, I brought one hand up to my eyes as I squinted them shut to keep out the pain.

"You were stung, when you went in the maze. For the second time, I might add." I smiled weakly at him from beneath my hands. "What the heck were you thinking? Why did you go in, again. I mean I thought you looked bad after the first time but the second was worse."

"I wonder how I'll look after the third." I said with a wicked smile. Jeff looked alarmed as though he thought I meant it. I laughed and eased his burning concern.

"I've got to go tell the others," Jeff said jumping to his feet.

"I'll come with you." I said standing up and wanting nothing more than to see my friends. But as a wave of dizziness shot through my head I had to slow down.

"No, you wait here. Take things easy." He said putting one hand on my shoulder and making sure I sat back down on the bed. I complied and watched him nearly sprint from the room. One the creaking of the loud stairs was gone I got up again. Walking from the small  
l room that held nothing but bad memories. I slowly made my into the room I had spent so much time in. It looked the same, not a thing out of place. I saw a boy laying out on one of the cots his arm was half bandaged. He looked up as I entered and had the same look of shock that Jeff had had.

"Are you all right?" I asked gently trying to avoid this whole coming back from the dead reputation I seemed to have. The boy nodded several then sat up.

"Yeah, Jeff was bandaging when he left in a hurry."

"That would be my fault," I said picking up the bandage that was set aside. "I can finish up with your arm if you like." I said slowly walking over to the boys. He agreed and came to sit. I took a seat beside him where he held his arm out. I wrapped the greyed cloth around a cut that was cover with white cloth.

"So, are you feeling okay?" The boy asked after I didn't say anything. I laughed and sat back on the cot after clipping the bandage in place.

"You know?"

"Everyone knows."

"Great," I said standing up and looking around. The boy did the same as he examined his injured arm before walking out. I began putting things away in their proper place when I heard the fragile stairs of homestead being racked with frantic footsteps. Seconds later Minho ran down the hall into the room I had woken up in. I walked over to the door and saw him looking around confused. I smiled and he turned around fast and found me standing in the doorway behind him. He sighed and ran up to me pulling me into a tight hug.

"You idiot, I thought you were dead." He said jumping back but keeping me at arms length.

"It's good to see you too." I said with a laugh. "Are you okay?" I asked my last memories were of him and I running from a griever.

"I am okay?" He said with a chuckle. "You're the one who just went through the changing. Do you remember anything? People normally remember something." He said looking at me courisly. I was still overwelmded and happy to see my friend alive and well, I forgot about everything I had just seen. Then with his question it all came tumbling back into focus. I felt my smile slip away as I piece together exactly what I knew. _The maze, a cure, W.I.C.K.E.D and my life before._ I looked to my tall friend fast my eyes now filled with alarm, I felt my pulse bringing to race.

"We need to find Alby." I said and I back out of his hold on my arms and began moving toward the door. Minho snatched my arm and stopped my in my determined stride.

"What are you doing?" He asked hestraically.

"I remember, before. Things, reasons why we were put here. We gotta go tell Alby before I forget again." I tugged at his hold on my arm but he didn't let go, he still had questions.

"What do you mean, _forget again_? You never knew this stuff." I nodded several times in disagreement.

"No, I did. I don't know how or why but they made me forget."

"Who?"

"W.I.C.K.E.D" He paused still unsure of my sanity but he let go of my arm and allowed me to press forward. I began down the homestead stairs when Newt met me half way, his face a look of relief and shock. I wanted nothing more than to pull him into a hug that would last forever but I had to get to Alby, before I forgot. _Why did I feel like I was going to forget this?_ It was so bright and strongly in graved in my thoughts now I didn't think I could ever forget the feelings for dread and fear that came with my past.

Newt and I stood there baffled for a moment before Minho clear his throat causing both of us to snap back to reality.

"We need to go see, Alby. I remember something." I said looking between the two. Newt nodded without combated but seemed speechless.

"We'll catch up later then." He said and smiled brightly at him even with the burning pain that cracked through my head with the new exspoer of sunlight and movement.

"Of course." I said before continuing to fumbled down the stairs. My legs ached and the skin around my ankles was raw. By the time we were reached the the main door of homestead Jeff was racing back.

"What in the name of the creators are you doing up?" He asked as he jogged to meet us where homestead met the rest of the glade.

"I've got to see, Alby." I said not stopping to humour his medical advice. "Have you seen him?" I asked turning around quick waiting eagerly for a response.

"I-" He sighed "He's in the mapping room." With a quick thanks I turned back around joined by newt and Minho and headed for the mapping room. After about a second Jeff shouted for us to wait and and raced out after us.

"If you pass out again I'm going to be incredibly cross with." He informed, I laughed without realizing it was happy to be talked down to by Jeff. It meant was wasn't pitting me as much but there was still worry, I could handle his worry. We reached the mapping room and I told Alby everything I could recall with as much details as the fragmented memories would yield. I told them about how I thought we all knew each other when we were much younger, before the maze. Then I was able to recall some of the words the boy had said to me. I still didn't remember a name, but he was important in all this that much I knew. Then it came time to talk about the strange man who warned about memories and forgetting. The four others seemed confused and a little dumbstruck. It was a lot to take in and probably hard to comprehend.

 **AN: Sorry it's been so long to update. I wrote most of this a while ago and am still getting back into it. So sorry about all the spelling errors and such its a real pain to edit on this website. But thanks to all who enjoy this story it means a lot to know people can actually like my work. : )**


	12. New Perspective

Hey everyone sorry so such a delay but here it is a new chapter for you all, there's plenty of fluff and other stuff I hope you all enjoy here. Please leave comments and opinions in the reviews, I'd love to hear what you all think of my latest addition. : )

Everything was explained and the small group grew quite again as everyone thought over my hazy memories. Not sure if we had really learned anything from them. We knew this W.I.C.K.E.D was to blame and they were the ones putting us here. Minho said that they had begun finding wicked written on other things around the Glade. It was on the crates and other supplies that were sent up in the box each month. He also said he wanted to keep this information to only those in the room, who never what kind of mess could come about with this news was shared. After a little while Alby told me to go get something to eat thanks to Jeff's constant pestering about my health, he worried too much. I was escorted to the mess hall by Minho, Newt and of course, Jeff. The pit of fear and despair that had opened in my stomach from my memories seemed to close as the warmth of my friend's company filled its place. How was it just a couple of people could make a person feel so much better, about anything. Just seeing Jeff when I first woke up seemed to chase away the nightmares. As much as I knew it wasn't this place felt safe to me, I would pick this place over any other. Even with the hardships that I had to face it all seemed worth it. I snapped out of my cheery world of peace when I heard someone call me name from the door.

"Y/N!" A familiar voice shouted with glee, I turned and saw Chuck come racing inside to the table where I sat with the other, stuck in a battle of defending myself from Minho's many insults and teasing jokes.

"Chuck," I said happily in a greeting of my friend as he fumbled up to the table red-faced and sweaty. He came to a skid in front of the table and had to pause to catch his breath, I only chuckled and pat the boy's shoulder.

"I ran, all the way, from the other side, of the Glade." He said between pants of hot breath. I shoved over moving much closer to Newt to make room for the curly haired boy, neither Newt or I minded much. I hit the splintered wood a few times with my hand and welcomed Chuck to join us. He happily took the seat and cast a look at Minho.

"I told you she'd be fine." He said in victory, Minho only scrunched his nose at the boy and shook his head.

"Well, of course, the girls impossible to get rid of." Said Jeff, his tone of disappointment almost sounded real. There was a chuckle shared around the group of us.

"Do you think all girls are like this?" Newt asked playfully as he looked to me with false concern.

"I hope not," Minho retorted with wide eyes. "One (Y/N), is trouble enough."

"Can you imagine the chaos?" Newt continued, I shot him a glare but I couldn't conceal my smile and I laughed out loud at the comment and soon the others joined me. This right here was home, but somehow there was this vague feeling that something was missing, I just couldn't think of what it was.

Our moment of reuniting was soon called off when the other were called back to work, it was mostly the boys fighting with Gally and telling him in some not so nice way to go away. It took Alby's hand to get them back to work and even then it was a fight. Chuck snuck away from work shortly after he had been sent back, said no one really noticed him there anyway. The two of us wander around the Glade just like always, this time, I savored the views more than ever, it felt good to be back.

"So what happened?" I asked hands buried in my pockets as we struggled through the untamed grass. "While I was, you know, sleeping?" I asked not sure how to refer to my absence. Chuck shrugged his shoulders and looked ahead to the tree where we were headed.

"Nothings really changed, besides the people." He said as we reached the tree and plopped himself down.

"What do you mean?"

"I've only seen Minho that worried once before and that was back when Nick-" He trailed off. "You know," He said playing with a strand of grass between his pudgy figures.

"Yeah, I do," I muttered leaning back against the tree.

"You didn't hear this from me but I think Minho blames himself for what happened to you. He was so angry after when he found out you were stung. He'd go out in the maze even after Alby told him not to as soon as the doors opened and come back minutes before they shut, just so he didn't have to talk to anyone. Drove Alby crazy." I nodded feeling a hollow feeling in my chest at the pain I'd caused.

"Sounds bad." I murmured, plucking grass from the dirt in quick swift motions.

"It was, he wasn't the only one, though. I swear I've never seen Newt act the way he did." Newt, oh lord what had I done to him?

"W-what happened." My voice broke.

"He hardly came to work, stayed with you for the first week. Alby connived him to get back to work after you started going through the harder parts of the changing."

"Harder parts?" My words wavered as unease tightened in my throat.

"You screamed a lot, talked in your sleep, pulled at the restraints. I only saw once before Jeff kicked me out. You didn't look good." I rubbed my wrist where the skin was still raw and red.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," I said putting one hand on the boy's shoulder, he shrugged.

"It's okay, I mean I only saw part of it Jeff had to deal with it every day. No wonder he's so worried about you." I had put all these people through this hardship all because I was too slow to get away, and because I just had to see what was on the walls. I was so stupid. It was quiet for a little while and I heard Chuck sniffle and I saw him stifling back tears. My heart broke right then, I through one arm around him shoulders. He whipped away the tears quickly with his arm and shook off my worry.

"I'm fine." He said but I didn't remove my arm.

"I know," I said feeling him relax and rest against my arm.

"I'm glad your back." He said breaking our soft silence.

"Me too."

After maybe an hour the others got away from work willing to face a scolding from Alby if necessary. So Minho, Newt, Chuck and myself just spent a few hours in homestead bothering Frypan and just talking. By the time dinner came around we hadn't even come close to running out of things to say. Everyone was fighting to share a story or opinion, or a cruel comment toward someone else. Dinner consisted of about the same conversation, but randoms boys from the Glade kept coming up to me telling me they were glad to see me back.

"They missed the eye candy." Minho joked and I reached across the table and smacked his arm, he only laughed. Chuck giggled between mouthfuls of food but Newt took the comment to heart and almost seemed unnerved by it. Frypan brought me an extra serving of food and said it was a welcome back gift and a once in a lifetime opportunity and I wasn't to share it. I ate the extra food as the others around the table watched with jealousy and everyone started to clear out of the hall and Frypans men got to cleaning. Soon we to cleared out, Minho said he had to go check on something in the mapping room and he dragged Chuck along after smirking at Newt and me knowingly. Funny how he seemed to have a clearer idea of what we were then we did. And there we stood alone in the dining hall having run out of things to say.

"It seems like I was missed." I said shoving my hands in my pockets as I looked out over the quiet and now dark Glade.  
"You were," Newt said with a warm smile. "You've brought something new to this place." I looked at him again head turned to the side.

"Whats that?"

"The hope of getting out," He said looking away from the Glade down to me with a sweet smile. "You're the only one who's ever remembered before, and you're the only one to have put these pieces together. You're special, (Y/N), you've got to see that."

"Maybe girls are smarter than boys." I joked, the sincerity in his words almost made me feel weird, I wasn't worthy of such praises. I was just a dumb kid who made a lot of dumb calls and somehow ended up doing something right. He laughed at my words, "Maybe," He said looking down at his feet as I shifted uncomfortably next to him.

"You've been good for this place," He gave a low chuckle "Good for me," My eyebrows shot up but I tried to look away from his so he didn't see. I cared about him and it was clear he cared for me but now what?

"How so?" I asked voice tight and constrained, this was so weird.

"Before you showed up I was sad, really sad. Being here for so long, losing so many, it messes with your head. And you, I don't really know, but you were just so bright. Something about you made me happy, just seeing you, thinking of you. It was like I knew who you were without having met you."

"I think I did know you, before." I said crossing my arms over my chest and looking down as I looked at me feet.

"And what were we?"

"Friends." I said thinking of the unclear images of my past.

"Just friends?"

"I don't remember all of it, I think we were younger."

"Well, what would you say we are now?" He asked turning to look down at me and I felt his soft brown eyes on me and slowly I turned to met them.

"I don't know." I said feeling an unsettling flutter in my chest, it made me feel so childish.  
"I think I do," He said and leaned down and kissed me. He was so relaxed about it and had gone rigid. But as I felt his lips soft and warm against mine I softened. For whatever reason, this felt right. He brought one hand to my cheek and the other gently placed on my waist. This wasn't like the first time, where it had been but a second for me to savor. This was long I could feel his hot breath as he breathed agents my lips between kissed. I could feel his soft hands on my face and the gentle movements of his lips agents mine. I lost myself in him and my hands no longer stay tight to my chest but moved out to his shoulders and neck. I smiled against his lips as his hand on my waist pulled me ever closer. Then came the sounds of someone approaching Homestead and I jumped back in time with Newt nearly flying to opposite ends of the room if we had had time. We both turned and looked at the walls further from each other and watched as a random boy from the Glade passed by, smiled upon seeing us and waved. We returned his waved and I watched closely as he disappeared into the huddle of what was now a dark room of sleeping boys. I burst out laughing the second he was gone and Newt couldn't hide his smile either.

"What perfect timing the Glader's have." He said mockingly as he stood tall both arms folded onto his chest and he smiled at me coming closer. I laughed and shook my head as I looked at the ground,

"Yeah but, I should go to bed," I said sheepishly looking at the ground.

"Probably, Jeff'll be after you soon if you don't." He reassured. I smiled at him as I started toward the exit. I was ready to head back to my quiet sleeping corner in the back of Homestead when Newt caught my arm again and turned me to him, pulling me right up to his chest and kissing me through a wide smile.

"On second thought lets make him wait." He said and I giggled between his wave of kisses. My hands resting on his waist and one of his tangled up in my hair as his kisses slowly became less gentle and more desperate. We walked backward still entangled in one another until we were no longer at the door and just hidden by a wall and the long shadow it cast. Newt paused for a minute and looked at me hands still on my face. He just looked at me with this smile that I couldn't understand as he tried to catch his breath.

"What?" I asked him waiting to be able to kiss him again.

"We know each other,"

"Well, I certainly hope so, because here I am making out with you in the shadows." I said and he laughed brushing one thumb agents my lower lips.

"No, not that. We know each other from before, I can feel it, so whatever we are it's right." He leaned forward and kissed me again this one soft and fast before he spoke again. "I love you, now, before and after, whatever after is. I always will." I froze tensing in his arms but there was a strange ghostly feeling that his words were right, and I turned the words over in my head a few times before I dared to say anything.

"You're right, I love you too," I said and he lit up with a smile so bright it could have been blinding. Having only kissed him once before this all felt so stupid to be saying but there was a deeper connection there in our lost memories. Chuck had also said he barely left my side while I was stung, that takes real feelings to do for someone. So now matter how ill-timed and ridicules it sounded it was right and I didn't care. I had begun kissing him again letting myself get lost in him for as long as I could. It didn't matter that I was in the Glade, it didn't matter that we had no idea what came next this was perfect. Or it was perfect, until Minho came bursting into the hall looking around in loud calls of our names. As quick as we were he was quicker and even as we scrambled away from one another Minho had seen all he needed to put things together. Standing their arms over his chest wide smirk on his face staring us both down.

"I-I should go, I've got um, some keeper things to uh, do," Newt said cleaning his throat and awkwardly slipping past the bigger boy, who kept his gaze trained on me.  
"Why are you smiling like that?" I asked a little cross, I took up a defensive stance and tried to look tougher than my fiery cheeks were making me out to seem.

"Thanks to your little display there I just earned myself seconds on breakfast tomorrow." I looked at him confused. "What are you talking about."

"Well, you see," He said walking up to me putting on large arm around my shoulders, his devilish smirk remained.

"Jeff and I had a bet going." I looked up at him fast and his smirk only grew as he walked me back toward the door to the hall. "The bet itself was whether or not you and Newt there were together yet, I bet you were and he didn't think either of you were brave enough to make a move. So since I'm right I get his breakfast."

"You better keep that to yourselves." I scolded waving a finger at him. He took his arm away from my shoulder and put on hand over his heart.

"Of course, I'll only tell Jeff and Chuck."

"You really shouldn't be betting on your friend's personal lives you."

"What else is there to bet on around here? When is the next time you do something stupid? That's kinda of a daily guarantee." I shook my head at him and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Glade to have you back, (Y/N). Things weren't quite as fun without you." He said in a way that made him sounds like he was joking but I knew he meant it. He was my best friend beside Chuck, I knew deep down he actually appreciated my friendship. After that encounter with Minho, I finally got myself to my sleeping rolled that still remained hidden away in the back of the mess of sleeping boys. I was so tired it took me mere minutes to fall asleep. But my dreams were not nearly as pleasant as my waking thoughts and I was plagued by haunting images of screeching grivers and the man from my memories. I woke in a sputter of panicked movements, my clothes damp with sweat. I reassured myself that it was all just a dream and took some time to calm down. It wasn't until my heart stop beating inside my ears that I noticed it. I wasn't in the Glade. I was in almost complete darkness, no different than the lighting in Homestead but there was no quiet whisper of snoring boys nearby, there was no sound at all. Only my panicked breathing. I felt my heart rate pick up again and true fear slowly began to grip me and I found myself completely unable to move. Then a bright light flashed on in the room blinding me, I through one hand up over my eyes. That's when I heard it. A radio crackled through the air and a voice spoke. The man from my memories voice.

"Welcome back, (Y/N)."

AN/ Hey everyone, so sorry that I haven't updated this one in a long time but I've kinda lost the inspiration for this one :(. I do have more and I will power through to finish it but if anyone is interested in ghostwriting or even pitching ideas for what they want to see shoot me a DM and let's chat I could use a hand. Thank you all!


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